Gastric banding for morbid obesity: early results.

During the years 1981-85, 163 patients were treated with gastric banding for morbid obesity. Mean preoperative body weight (+/- s.e.m.) was 121.3 kg +/- 1.4, and mean overweight was 71.5% +/- 1.6 according to Broca's formula. Twenty-four patients had postoperative complications during the first 30 days, mostly minor. Four required reoperation and one of these died. Seventeen patients had late complications, six persistent vomiting necessitating reoperation, eight incisional hernia and three penetration of gastric wall by band. The weight loss was rapid during the first 6 months, and thereafter levelled off. After 2 years the weight loss was 33.4 kg +/- 2.4, corresponding to a mean weight loss of 27.6 percent +/- 1.9 of preoperative weight. There was no significant difference in weight loss expressed as a percentage of preoperative weight between patients operated with an outlet of 12 mm (45 patients) or 15 mm (118 patients), nor between males (37 patients) or females (126 patients). We conclude that our technique of gastric banding seems to be a relatively safe and reliable surgical treatment for morbid obesity. But our follow-up period has been limited to 2 years or less, and a longer follow-up is necessary before the method can be fully evaluated.