Banded Gastric Bypass: Better Long-Term Results? A Cohort Study with Minimum 5-Year Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: While gastric bypass has been the treatment of choice for morbid obesity, insufficient weight loss and even weight regain has been observed in a sub-group of patients. Dilatation of the pouch, pouch outlet, and proximal alimentary limb have been suggested to cause weight regain on the long term. The banded gastric bypass surgery has been introduced to overcome this problem.

METHODS: Four hundred thirty-two patients (n = 254, non-banded/n = 178, banded-GaBP Ring™) were followed-up for 5 years. Patients were evaluated for weight loss, % excess weight loss (%EWL), weight regain and BMI.

RESULTS: No significant differences between groups in the first year following surgery were observed in terms of weight loss and %EWL. %EWL at 5 years was as follows: non-banded 65.2 ± 20.0 %; banded 74.0 ± 15.1 %. At 5 years, the banded group showed more weight loss (non-banded 35.4 ± 12.5; banded 43.9 ± 11.9 kg, P < 0.0001); weight regain was significantly higher in the non-banded group (P < 0.0001). Only minor complications were reported; no signs of ring migration or slippage were reported.

CONCLUSION: Although, following the first year after surgery, no differences in treatment groups were observed in terms of weight loss, 5 years following surgery, patients who received banded surgery maintained better weight loss and had less weight regain compared to the non-banded group. These results suggest that laparoscopic banded gastric bypass using a silastic ring was effective in maintaining weight loss on the long term, while the complication rate was low. The banded gastric bypass is regarded by us as the new gold standard.