Laparoscopic gastric banding

Abstract

Weight change has traditionally been used as the primary outcome in obesity intervention studies (Treadwell et al. 2008). Increasing evidence suggests that traditional nonsurgical weight loss methods are ineffective and that bariatric surgery is the most sustainable and effective treatment for weight loss in the morbidly obese (O’Brien et al.2010; Dolan et al. 2003; Dillard et al. 2007; Nadler et al. 2008). Comorbidities associated with severe obesity in childhood are found in up to 50%(Weisset al. 2004). Presently, the most common surgical options for adolescents are Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopicadjustable gastric banding (LAGB). LAGB is associated with a lower mortality rate and threefoldlower complication rate than gastric bypass(Inge et al. 2007; Xanthakos 2008), has theadvantages of adjustability and reversibility, and has beenassociated with sustained weight loss and improved comorbidities in adults (O’Brien et al. 2006).