[Management and therapy of postoperative complications after "gastric banding" for morbid obesity].

Laparoscopic gastric banding has become a common procedure in bariatric surgery. Early as well as late complications are, in comparison to conventional techniques, rare. Complications arising from the operative technique are: perforation, early pouch dilatation, gastric slippage, infections of the port and the band, erosion and defects of the band tube. Insufficient weight loss and late pouch dilatation arise from unsatisfactory compliance on the part of the patient. In 7.5% of 146 cases, reoperations were necessary. Obstruction of the pouch stoma and a slippage resulted in total food intolerance. After radiologic diagnosis the band system should be deflated first and a naso-gastric tube applied. If this does not result in the pouch collapsing, a revision operation is needed.