Lap-Band: Weight Loss and Complications at 2 Years

Nicole J Pecquex, John J Kelly, Richard Perugini, Donald Czerniach, Gordie Kaban, Demetrius Litwin
University of Mass. Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA

Objective:
To review weight loss and complications resulting from Lap-Band placement at our institution.
Design:
Retrospective review of weight loss and complications of 79 Lap-Bands implanted from October 2001- April 2004.
Setting:
Tertiary care academic medical center.
Patients:
Seventy-nine patients meeting NIH consensus guidelines for surgery. Average Body Mass Index (BMI) of 47 kg/m² (35-64).
Interventions:
Patients were enrolled in a multidisciplinary program before surgery. The Lap-Band (INAMED) was then implanted. Band adjustments were performed initially at 6 weeks, then every 4-6 weeks. Adjustments were based on weight loss and subjective feelings of how difficult solids and liquids were to swallow.
Main Outcome Measures:
Patient's average length of stay, device complications, average excess weight loss, delta BMI, and number of adjustments were studied.
Results:
Average Length of stay was one day- 37% of patients discharged same day, 63% of patients stayed overnight. Complications: 0% erosions, 1% tubing leaks, 3% port rotations, 3% acute obstructions, 1% explantation, 4% slippage. Delta BMI's at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months were -4, -6, -11, -11, and -10 respectively. Average excess weight loss was 18%, 25%, 39%, 45%, and 53% at same intervals. Number of adjustments on average was 4, 6, and 7 at 6, 12, and 24 months.
Conclusions:
Weight loss at our institiution compares favorably to that reported by others in the literature. The Lap-Band is an effective and safe weight loss tool.

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