Impact of age, sex and body mass index on outcomes at four years after gastric banding.

BACKGROUND: Adjustable gastric banding for weight reduction in severely obese persons allows reversible individualized restriction during postoperative follow-up. It is unknown whether preoperative age, sex and BMI might modulate treatment outcome. METHODS: 404 severely obese patients (79% women; age 42 +/- 0.5 years [mean +/- SEM]; BMI 42.1 +/- 0.2 kg/m2) completed 4-year follow-up after banding. Weight loss, complications, and Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) scores were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: 4 years after banding, younger (<50 years) women lost more weight than older (50 years) men (28.2 +/- 0.7% vs 19.4+/- 1.6%; P=0.001); older women and younger men lost similar weight. Patients with preoperative BMI >50 lost more weight than patients with BMI <35 (30.5 +/- 2.3% vs 22.8 +/- 2.6%; P=0.03). 22.3% of patients (n=90) had band system-related complications. Compared to women, men had more band leaks (7.0% vs 1.9%; P=0.007), and older men had more band slippages than younger men (8.4% vs 0.0%; P=0.035). Patients with preoperative BMI >50 were less likely than patients with BMI 35-40 or 40-50 to experience gastric complications (10.6%, 18.8%, 23.0%, respectively), but more likely to experience port/tube complications (15.8%, 2.4%, 7.9%, respectively; P<0.055). BAROS scores were different between men and women (P=0.05), and between younger and older people (P=0.001). Women and younger people were more likely than men and older people to score "very good" (P=0.03, P=0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Adjustable gastric banding is an effective intermediate-term treatment for severe obesity. Preoperative age, sex, and BMI are important modulators of outcome and should be considered during preoperative evaluation.

Salvage of gastric restriction following staple-line dehiscence after vertical banded gastroplasty by insertion of an adjustable gastric band.

BACKGROUND: Vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) has been a common and safe surgical treatment for morbid obesity. However, the complication of staple-line dehiscence (SLD) results in VBG failure. We present a minimally invasive revision procedure when SLD occurs: gastric restriction is salvaged by adjustable gastric banding (AGB), usually laparoscopically, providing that the previous restriction had achieved sufficient weight loss initially and was well-tolerated. METHODS: 13 patients with unexplained weight regain after VBG were found to have SLD on endoscopy. AGB was performed to re-establish restriction. Weight loss and complications were compared with two control groups: the first undergoing uncomplicated VBG, and the second undergoing AGB alone. Follow-up of 4.3+/-0.1 (mean+/-SEM) years after salvage reoperation, including complications, reoperations and weight loss, were studied. RESULTS: Insertion of the band through the retrogastric tunnel was feasible in all cases, despite adhesions in the area of the VBG Marlex band, the proximal stomach, and left lobe of liver. There was no surgeryrelated mortality. Following "salvage AGB", weight loss and overall complication rates were similar between the study group and the two control groups. CONCLUSION: Salvage of gastric restriction by AGB after SLD secondary to VBG is safe and reliable, despite the possibility of adhesions. Morbidity is low and intermediate-term weight loss is comparable to patients with uncomplicated VBG.

Management of failed adjustable gastric banding.

BACKGROUND: About 100,000 adjustable gastric band placements have been performed worldwide, but more than 10% of patients have needed reoperation for insufficient weight loss or device-related complications. This study investigates the complications following gastric banding, and the outcome using a structured management strategy. METHODS: In the period April 1996 to January 2002, 824 severely obese patients (body mass index 43 +/- 1 kg/m 2 [mean +/- standard error under the mean], age 43 +/- 1 years; 77% women) underwent gastric banding in a single institution and were followed prospectively. Complications, insufficient weight loss, and subsequent management were analyzed. RESULTS: By the fifth treatment year, excess weight loss (EWL) was 54.8 +/- 1.7%; 72.8% of patients lost weight continuously or attained EWL of at least 50%. Insufficient weight loss occurred in 143 patients, and band-related complications occurred in 131 patients, with a mean annual rate of 5.0%. Major reoperation was necessary in 121 patients, and the annual reoperation rate was 4.7%. Following major reoperation, band- and bypass-related complication rates ranged from 6.3% to 11.7% per year. Three deaths occurred, 1 after reoperation and 2 due to preexisting cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: Applying a structured reoperation algorithm, 5% annual failure after banding was corrected in most patients, and 72.8% of patients attained sufficient weight loss. Reoperation-related mortality was low (.8%), and its annual morbidity was acceptable (4.6%).

Gene variants and binge eating as predictors of comorbidity and outcome of treatment in severe obesity.

Melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R) variants are associated with obesity and binge eating disorder (BED), whereas the more prevalent proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and leptin receptor gene (LEPR) mutations are rarely associated with obesity or BED. The complete coding regions of MC4R, POMC, and leptin-binding domain of LEPR were comparatively sequenced in 300 patients (233 women and 67 men; mean +/- SEM age, 42 +/- 1 years; mean +/- SEM body mass index, 43.5 +/- 0.3 kg/m2) undergoing laparoscopic gastric banding. Eating behavior, esophagogastric pathology, metabolic syndrome prevalence, and postoperative weight loss and complications were retrospectively compared between carriers and noncarriers of gene variants with and without BED during 36 +/- 3-month follow-up. Nineteen patients (6.3%) carried 8 MC4R variants, 144 (48.0%) carried 13 POMC variants, and 247 (82.3%) carried 11 LEPR variants. All MC4R variant carriers had BED, compared with 18.1% of noncarriers (P < 0.001). BED rates were similar among POMC and LEPR variant carriers and noncarriers. Gastroscopy revealed more erosive esophagitis in bingers than in nonbingers before and after banding (P < 0.04), regardless of genotype. MC4R variant carriers lost less weight (P=0.003), showed less improvement in metabolic syndrome (P < 0.001), had dilated esophagi (P < 0.001) and more vomiting (P < 0.05), and had fivefold more gastric complications (P < 0.001) than noncarriers. Overall outcome was poorest in MC4R variant carriers, better in noncarriers with BED (P < 0.05), and best in noncarriers without BED (P < 0.001). MC4R variants influence comorbidities and treatment outcomes in severe obesity.

Impact of orlistat therapy on weight reduction in morbidly obese patients after implantation of the Swedish adjustable gastric band.

BACKGROUND: Adjustable gastric banding (AGB) is frequently performed to treat morbid obesity. One problem which can occasionally develop after a restrictive procedure is consumption of a high calorie liquid diet, which may prohibit further weight loss. Orlistat, a newly developed intestinal lipase inhibitor, prevents absorption of about one-third of ingested fat. It is unknown whether patients no longer losing weight after AGB, despite further band restriction, may lose weight with addition of orlistat. METHODS: 38 patients were selected who had stopped losing weight 3 months before the initiation of the study, 18 +/- 6 months (mean +/- SEM) after laparoscopic AGB. Subjects were divided into 2 groups, matched for age, sex, filling volume of the band and body mass index (BMI) both at the time of surgery and start of the study (18 +/- 6 months after AGB). RESULTS: Patients in group A received dietary counseling and orlistat 120 mg TID for 8 months, while patients in group B received only dietary counseling. During the following 8 months of study, subjects in group A lost 8 +/- 3 kg in weight, whereas subjects in group B lost 3 +/- 2 kg (p < 0.01, months 18 vs 26 of study; p < 0.03, group A vs B). In 15 patients from group A the study was further extended 9 months, but interestingly, weight remained stable independent of whether orlistat was continued (n = 8) or stopped (n = 7). 4 subjects were excluded from the extension study because of additional malabsorptive bypass surgery. Subjects taking orlistat encountered only minor GI side-effects. CONCLUSION: Orlistat appears to be useful when added in patients after AGB who are no longer losing weight, perhaps due to a high-calorie liquid diet rich in fat.