An original paper in the journal Digestive Surgery examines the outcome of 232 morbidly obese patients who were treated with the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, also known as the Lap Band.
Surgeons from the Department of Surgery at Albert Schweitzer Hospital and the Academic Medical Center, both in the Netherlands, assessed the results of morbidly obese patients who underwent Lap Band procedures from March 1995 to August 2003.
They found that median excess weight loss was 37 percent after just one year and 42 percent 3-5 years after surgery. Based on the results and rate of complications, they conclude that Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is “ a safe and successful treatment for patients with morbid obesity. Maximal weight reduction is achieved within 12 months and remains stable up to at least 5 years.”
You can read the abstract or purchase access to the article from Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers.
