[Restrictive procedures in the treatment of morbid obesity -- vertical banded gastroplasty vs. adjustable gastric banding].

Vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) has been in clinical use since 1979 and the adjustable gastric banding (AGB) since 1985. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome, short- and long-term complications of the two procedures. Within a period of 9 years (1992-2001) 1 011 gastric restrictive procedures were performed by two surgeons in the course of a prospective nonrandomized comparative trial. 563 VBG's via laparotomy and 448 laparoscopic AGB's were included into the study. The mean BMI of the patients was 46 kg/m 2 in both groups. The mean duration of follow up was 60 months (range 6 to 108 months). No statistical significant difference in outcome in terms of weight loss, reduction of co-morbidity and improvement in quality of life following ASGB or VBG was observed. The hospital mortality rate was 0.3 % (2 VBG, 1 AGB). The overall reintervention rate for long-term complications was 15.6 % for the VBG and 7 % for the AGB group (p < 0.0001). The AGB is entirely reversible and the less invasive procedure preserving an intact anatomy of the stomach. A trend in favour of the AGB is observed.