More Patients Turn to Sleeve Gastrectomy as Revision Procedure to LapBand Surgery

Although LapBand® has become commonplace for the treatment of morbid obesity, it is not unusual for a significant percentage (6-15%) of these patients to undergo "reoperation" for insufficient weight loss and surgical, band-related complications.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 28, 2007 -- Although LapBand® has become commonplace for the treatment of morbid obesity, it is not unusual for a significant percentage (6-15%) of these patients to undergo "reoperation" for insufficient weight loss and surgical, band-related complications.

Traditionally, candidates for "reoperation" were left to choose between two surgically demanding, second-stage possibilities: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion (BPD), as the only post-LapBand® solutions.

The results of a one-year study published in the medical journal Obesity Surgery indicate that laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy should be considered as a safe, first-stage alternative in lieu of more complex procedures.

The research conducted involved eight patients - two males and six females - with an average age of 46.6 years and an average BMI of 50.5 kg/m2. Each had undergone LapBand® between two and 13 years prior to the study. Once each individual completed the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedure, patient results were measured on a monthly basis. Overall, an average excess weight loss of 22% at one month, 47% at six months, and 57% at 12 months was observed in five of the eight patients. Two patients maintained satisfactory results from the LapBand® procedure, and one required second-stage biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (DS).

When asked to comment on the potential for sleeve gastrectomy as a revision procedure after laparoscopic gastric banding, Dr. Paul Cirangle, of Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco (LAPSF) noted, "This report provides obese patients with data that an alternative exists for effective weight loss. The procedure is not as invasive as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or duodenal switch - sleeve gastrectomy is a 90-minute procedure that requires an average hospital stay of 1-2 days."

"With obesity rates soaring in the United States, hope for a healthier future lies in the development of weight loss surgery procedures such as sleeve gastrectomy, as well as a patient population educated in living a healthier lifestyle," stated Dr. Cirangle. "I think people are learning and deciding to do something that can help improve their overall health and long-term happiness, with or without bariatric surgery."

About Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco
Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco (LapSF) is a team of surgeons with a compassionate approach to patient care and a proven commitment to laparoscopic advancement for bariatric surgical procedures. Specializing in the four main bariatric procedures: roux-en-y gastric bypass, vertical gastrectomy, LapBand® and duodenal switch, LapSF has performed over 1,200 procedures, and is recognized by the American Society of Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) as a Center of Excellence.

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