Is it necessary to deflate the adjustable gastric band for subsequent operations?

Mittermair, Reinhard P; Weiss, Helmut; Aigner, Franz; Weissenboeck, Eva; Lanthaler, Monika; Nehoda, Hermann

« Previous Next »The American Journal of Surgery
Volume 185, Issue 1 , Pages 50-53, January 2003

Is it necessary to deflate the adjustable gastric band for subsequent operations?

Reinhard P Mittermair, M.D.
- Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +43-512-504-2911; fax: +43-512-561331.
Helmut Weiss, M.D.
- Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Franz Aigner, M.D.
- Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Eva Weissenboeck, M.D.
- Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Monika Lanthaler, M.D.
- Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Hermann Nehoda, M.D.
- Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Received 11 February 2002; received in revised form 19 May 2002

Abstract

Background

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is an effective method in the treatment of morbid obesity. However, it is unknown, whether deflating the gastric band before operations under general anesthesia is necessary to avoid complications such as nausea, vomiting, respiratory complications, and weight regain.

Methods

Between January 1996 and June 2001, we performed LAGB on 408 patients at the University Hospital of Innsbruck. Of these patients, we identified 68 (16.7%) patients who were to undergo subsequent unrelated general, reconstructive, vascular, or orthopedic procedures. These patients were prospectively randomized into two groups: group 1 (n = 32) preoperative deflation of the adjustable band system and group 2 (n = 36) without preoperative deflation of the adjustable band system.

Results

There were no anesthetic or perioperative band-related complications in either group 1 or group 2. There were two reoperations necessary due to surgical complications unrelated to the gastric band.