Reuters Health:Lap-Band Surgery Marred By Problems After 12 Years

(Reuters Health) – An older kind of Lap-Band weight-loss surgery could lead to severe complications over the long haul, Belgian researchers said Monday.

 

 

The surgery works by placing a silicone band around the top portion of the stomach to restrict food intake. It has become an increasingly popular option in the battle against obesity, but some experts have worried about its safety.

The Belgian team found that as many as half their patients, followed for at least 12 years, needed to have the band removed in that period. And in more than a quarter, the band had gnawed its way through the wall of the stomach.

“The high failure rate of (Lap-Band surgery), at least in our hands, could be detrimental to its future continued widespread use as a restrictive weight loss operation," Dr. Jacques Himpens of the Saint Pierre University Hospital in Brussels and colleagues write in the Archives of Surgery.

“This is what I was worried about," said Dr. Mary Brandt, who heads the pediatric surgical program at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and has criticized the Lap-Band surgery before.

“I think these data support my opinion that lap band is not the right operation for adolescents," she told Reuters Health in an email.

According to Allergan — the Irvine, California-based company that makes the Lap-Band system — its product has been used in more than 500,000 procedures worldwide. It commands more than two-thirds of a $300 million to $400 million market.

In an email to Reuters Health, Allergan criticized the new study and said both the surgical technique and the Lap-Band itself had changed in the interim.

It also noted that the study was based on only 151 patients from a single hospital, and that the researchers had only been able to test half of those patients.

“We are disappointed to see the publication of an ill-constructed, single-center clinical assessment that does not meet the high clinical standards one should expect from peer-reviewed data, and is not reflective of today’s clinical standards," Cathy Taylor, Allergan’s director of Corporate Communications, said.

Dr. Marc P. Michalsky, surgical director for the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, seconded the criticism.

“In some ways it is a bit of a historic snapshot of this type of surgery 15 years ago," he said. “I would take these results with a grain of salt."

On average, the patients in the study lost about 43 percent of their excess weight — a number that was outpaced by the gold standard weight-loss surgery, called gastric bypass.

Four out of every ten patients in the study suffered a major complication of the surgery, such as the band going into the stomach or the stomach pouch enlarging. Overall, six in ten patients ended up on the operating table again.

In 2009, more than 220,000 Americans had some type of weight loss surgery, at a price of about $20,000 per patient, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

“I don’t think there’s one operation that is good for everybody," Michalsky said. “It really boils down to a combination of considerations by the surgeon and the patient."

SOURCE: Archives of Surgery, March 21, 2011.

The future is the future... and there's no way to predict it. Each surgery has its drawbacks. All I know is that the LapBand saved my life. I truly believe I'd be close to being dead right now if I didn't get the surgery. Whatever happens in the future I'll take in stride. I have my life back now and no research can disprove that!

 

(Reuters Health) – An older kind of Lap-Band weight-loss surgery could lead to severe complications over the long haul, Belgian researchers said Monday.

Makes it sort of easy to dispute.....older kind of lap band surgery, not relevant to today's standard of care.

According to Allergan — the Irvine, California-based company that makes the Lap-Band system — its product has been used in more than 500,000 procedures worldwide. It commands more than two-thirds of a $300 million to $400 million market.

In an email to Reuters Health, Allergan criticized the new study and said both the surgical technique and the Lap-Band itself had changed in the interim.

It also noted that the study was based on only 151 patients from a single hospital, and that the researchers had only been able to test half of those patients.

“We are disappointed to see the publication of an ill-constructed, single-center clinical assessment that does not meet the high clinical standards one should expect from peer-reviewed data, and is not reflective of today’s clinical standards," Cathy Taylor, Allergan’s director of Corporate Communications, said.

Dr. Marc P. Michalsky, surgical director for the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, seconded the criticism.

“In some ways it is a bit of a historic snapshot of this type of surgery 15 years ago," he said. “I would take these results with a grain of salt."

It also noted that the study was based on only 151 patients from a single hospital, and that the researchers had only been able to test half of those patients.

“We are disappointed to see the publication of an ill-constructed, single-center clinical assessment that does not meet the high clinical standards one should expect from peer-reviewed data, and is not reflective of today’s clinical standards," Cathy Taylor, Allergan’s director of Corporate Communications, said.



Sigh

While I agree that the standards of care have increased I think that the failure rate of the actual tool was not up to date at seminars and such at the time of mine... 3 years ago. My surgeon has made it very clear that its atleast 2x higher to fail now in statistics than it was at the time.

It works doesnt great for everyone and without my band I would of never made it to a size 10/12. I am thankful for that. Currently its up to me to be the weight I need to be due to slippage x2. My surgeon as well as her partner have both examined me and confirmed the band became just too tight over time without fills. I have had 2 complete unfills over the last 5 months.

If I could go back in time I would get my band again hands down. I am considering a revision if reattachment isn't possbile. However, I honestly at this point see it as a tool to assist you in the short term.... 10 years or less to teach us a new lifestyle and eating habit.

 One thing I always say is that "tomorrow is promised to no one".....

So although these studies may be true, I am living for today.

I have the knowledge and I follow my heart.

I was wary of the band but I immediately embraced it after I realized I could die of obesity related diseases.....

So just for today, I will continue to work with what I have.....

Great article though so thanks for sharing......

I went into surgery a relatively healthy overweight person and came out with life threatening complications. I still have residual pain years later from the damage caused by the lapband. 

I went in hoping for a healthier life and a greater chance to lose weight. And instead I got a nightmare beyond what I could have imagined. Of course, I chose a surgeon who was a beast, so that part's on me. Of course, I didn't KNOW he was awful when I chose him, otherwise I would have run the other direction.

I truly am happy for those for whom the band works. I just worry about damage being incurred without the person being aware of it. It truly causes me grave concern because I've experienced it myself... and I wholeheartedly hope no one else has to go through it.

You know my heart has always gone out to b/c of you band horror story. :-( No one should have to go through the pain and permanent damage you endure in your quest for a healthier life. And although my story is nothing compared to yours...............I wish someone had posted something like this for US to read PROIR to us getting banded! Most on the band forum will HATE me posting this..............but I know that it will at least help one person *****ads and does further research b/c of i!. :-)

Thank you, Maria. I feel like a broken record. I know people don't want to hear the bad stuff. I truly feel like I'm Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, but I simply have to share my experience. I admit, it helps me to talk about it, but I also have concern for others. I just hate remembering how awful I felt and how scared I was ALL the time. I was scared to lose my band for fear of regaining and I was scared of NOT having the band out because I knew that I was being damaged. And it was isolating, confusing, scary and just a downright nightmare.

I really think we're all in this struggle together... the whole weight loss thing is not easy, no matter how you go about it. But it's important to have eyes completely and fully open before making such a life altering decision.