Re-post: Report complications/failures directly to the FDA!!!

Well in your own unkind words you proved my point - that people who make generalities without science are ignorant- by calling me a "moron"- for simply pasting the link to a published study of 2000 LONG TERM bandsters and the real results-

Happy people go on and get busy with their lives- they do not sit on a board and post all about it- Not just on WLS but in any arena- If you go to a Addiction or Alcohol treatment website you will find the majority if people posting are struggling and new- Does that mean noone has attained Long term recovery? No they have moved on to live a normal life- The GOAL of life changes.

I am sympathetic to anyone suffering any complications - I also know that the published studies (by the AMA)- have proven that banding has no higher complication rate than any other WLS- As a matter of fact it has an almost 27%lower rate of mortality- the worst of all complications.

LAPBAND is a tool- it is hard work and takes more patient involvment than many other WLS- I believe (this is opinion not fact) that some patients are expecting the fast, malabsortion rate of weight loss of other wls (RNY)- Many people revise to a different procedure because they were not ready for the level of commitment without the speedy loss of the band-

Of course many revise out of a need to to damage or complications- You don't hear about the reversals and revisions of RNY as much because IT IS NOT AN OPTION- they are stuck with the procedure- happy or not.

ALL WLS have the possibility of complications - They do NOT all offer the possibility of reversal and revisions-  those people are talking to lawyers- not blogs- or their familes are...

You don't hear about the reversals and revisions of RNY as much because IT IS NOT AN OPTION- they are stuck with the procedure- happy or not. 

actually - if you visit the revision board, there are many RNY patients looking to revise to the DS.  it is an option - but a very tricky / specialized surgery, that only a few can do.

Excuse me?! My own "unkind words"??? YOU called me ignorant! Did I retaliate and get just as tacky as you? Yes. So maybe next time you should think about YOUR unkind words!

" LAPBAND is a tool- it is hard work and takes more patient involvment than many other WLS- I believe (this is opinion not fact) that some patients are expecting the fast, malabsortion rate of weight loss of other wls (RNY)- Many people revise to a different procedure because they were not ready for the level of commitment without the speedy loss of the band- "

"Of course many revise out of a need to to damage or complications- You don't hear about the reversals and revisions of RNY as much because IT IS NOT AN OPTION- they are stuck with the procedure- happy or not. "

" Happy people go on and get busy with their lives- they do not sit on a board and post all about it- "

" As far as the DS- this is not even approved by the by most insurance companies yet- not because it is not godd- it is just unproven as of yet-"

The more I read and re-read your posts, the more I realize that you post in the exact same manner that you accuse Maria of posting. Your posts do not reflect facts, they reflect your opinion and the opinions of others ( Sadly Lap Band surgeons that you misquoted as legitimate scientific data ) you have read about.


You are relying on " Scientific information " which was put together by the same surgeons who performed the lap band surgeries and on their very own patients. Did you see the BIG
logo on top of the " Scientific Research " page from which you were quoting ? This is nothing but two LAP BAND SURGEONS TOOTING THEIR OWN HORN

According to the link you provided,
www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/statsub.html

Background:

The purpose of this study was to examine 1,791 consecutive laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedures with up to 12 years of follow up. LAGB is widely accepted but its efficacy in the long run is questioned since long term results with a high follow-up rate are not common.

Between September 1993 and December 2005, 1,791 consecutive patients (75.1% women, mean age 38.7 years, mean body weight 127.7+ –24 kg, mean body mass index (BMI) 46.2+ –7.7) underwent the LAP-BAND procedure. All operations were performed by ILOST surgeons, Dr. Franco Favretti and Dr. Gianni Segato, part of the multi-disciplinary team that developed the laparoscopic application of the LAP-BAND back in 1993.

Results:

The ILOST team of surgeons has performed the LAP-BAND procedure on more than 6.000 patients. Dr. Franco Favretti and Dr. Gianni Segato have just published the long term results (more than 12 years) of their own series of 2.000 patients. These results are unparalleled. There are no similar reports in the scientific literature.

These two surgeons are the definition of Conveyor Belt Surgeons.

Italy Dr. Franco Favretti Dr. Gianni Segato $12,000 to $13,500 depending on the exchange rate of the Dollar (Cost includes Pick-up at the airport, Hospital, Band, Physician fees, and pre-op workup.)		Requires 5 to 6 days in Italy. US patients are met at Verona International Airport on Thursday. They are admitted to the hospital on Friday Morning (pre-op tests), undergo surgery on Saturday and are discharged from the hospital on Monday. The Lap-Band procedure is performed by Dr. Franco Favretti, and Dr. Gianni Segato, two of the most experienced Lap-Band Surgeons in Europe and the world. They have done the procedure on quite a number of American patients. After surgery, they prefer to have their patients around for a few more days just to be sure that everything is OK. Patients usually do some sightseeing in Venice, which is close by. By Thursday or Friday they can fly back home and resume their activities and be back at work generally within one week. Dr. Favretti and Dr. Segato have performed well over 2,500 Lap-Band cases and have published their results in major Medical Journals. Their team together with Dr. Cadiere and Dr. Himpens were the first in the world to perform this surgery, in October 1992. The "Statistics" section of this web site contains current data on weight loss, complication rate, etc., for the Lap-Band series of Dr. Favretti and Dr. Segato. These statistics are among the best published in the Medical Journals.

US PRICE
USA
$17,000–$30,000
(Depending on the State you live in.)

THANK you for posting this.  I tried to paste the whole study here but the format screws up. I agree that emotion gets in the way of reason sometimes around here.
The full study is also available from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study examines 1,791 consecutive laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedures with up to 12 years follow-up. Long-term results of LAGB with a high follow-up rate are not common. METHODS: Between September 1993 and December 2005, 1,791 consecutive patients (75.1% women, mean age 38.7 years, mean weight 127.7 24 kg, mean BMI 46.2 7.7) underwent LAGB by the same surgical team. Perigastric dissection was used in 77.8% of the patients, while subsequently pars flaccida was used in 21.5% and a mixed approach in 0.8%. Data were analyzed according to co-morbidities, conversion, short- and long-term complications and weight loss. Fluoroscopy-guided band adjustments were performed and patients received intensive follow-up. The effects of LAGB on life expectancy were measured in a case/control study involving 821 surgically-treated patients versus 821 treated by medical therapy. RESULTS: Most common baseline co-morbidities were hypertension (35.6), osteoarthritis (57.8), diabetes (22), dyslipidemia (27.1), sleep apnea syndrome (31.4), depression (21.2), sweet eating (22.5) and binge eating (18.5). Conversion to open was 1.7%: due to technical difficulties (1.2) and due to intraoperative complications (0.5). Together with the re-positioning of the band, additional surgery was performed in 11.9% of the patients: hiatal hernia repair (2.4), cholecystectomy (7.8) and other procedures (1.7). There was no mortality. Reoperation was required in 106 patients (5.9%): band removal 55 (3.7%), band repositioning 50 (2.7 and other 1 (0.05 %). Port-related complications occurred in 200 patients (11.2%). 41 patients (2.3%) underwent further surgery due to unsatisfactory results: removal of the band in 12 (0.7%), biliopancreatic diversion in 5 (0.27%) and a biliopancreatic diversion with gastric preservation ("bandinaro") in 24 (1.3%). Weight in kg was 103.7 21.6, 102.5 22.5, 105.0 23.6, 106.8 24.3, 103.3 26.2 and 101.4 27.1 at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 years after LAGB. BMI at the same intervals was 37.7 7.1, 37.2 7.2, 38.1 7.6, 38.5 7.9, 37.5 8.5 and 37.7 9.1. The case/control study found a statistically significant difference in survival in favor of the surgically-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: LAGB can achieve effective, safe and stable long-term weight loss. In experienced hands, the complication rate is low. Follow-up is paramount.

This " study " was done by the actual surgeons who performed those surgeries.

" and the true fact that most boards long term get visited by unhappy people-"

You have scientific proof of this statement ?

Did you read the full article?  OMG, the best part was where it says

The 91% follow-up rate has allowed us to provide reliable data regarding what actually happens to this group of patients. It is well known in bariatric cir- cles that not all the patients accept the stipulated fol- low-up plan. We were able to track most of our patients using an aggressive approach that some- times involved the Registry Offices, the Health Authorities and even the Police.

I totally agree that follow up care is critical.  Perhaps things would be different if the Band Police showed up on my doorstep or if my clinic didn't RIDICULE AND INSULT ME.  I was really disappointed in the aftercare I got.  So much that I switched to another clinic.

Allergan says on the Lap-Band website that over 650,000 bands have been sold.  I wish there were studies available with even larger cohorts.

See you should have went to Italy DOH !

Sounds-a good to me, eh!  

I get-a the good follow ups an-a get to play grabba ass with-a the Lap-Band Policia!