Study: Long Term Outcomes of Lap Band
I credit my band and my good choices
She simply posted a study; and since (as I said before) we are always lamenting the lack of LONG TERM POST OP STUDIES, I think it is valid and perhaps useful information.
And if the OP only comes to the main forum, perhaps "several" successful lapbanders is really all she knows of. That's more than me.....but then again, I don't generally pay attention to the surgery types of posters unless it's relevent to the discussion.
Marilyn (now in NM)
RNY 10/2/01
262(HW)/150-155(GW)/159(CW)
(updated March 2012)
on 4/13/11 12:29 am, edited 4/13/11 12:34 am - Tuvalu
She simply posted a study; and since (as I said before) we are always lamenting the lack of LONG TERM POST OP STUDIES, I think it is valid and perhaps useful information.
And if the OP only comes to the main forum, perhaps "several" successful lapbanders is really all she knows of. That's more than me.....but then again, I don't generally pay attention to the surgery types of posters unless it's relevent to the discussion.
Thank you for noticing that "long term studies" require going back in time a bit. This WAS published in 2011, wasn't it?
Those WERE pre-FDA approval and the pars flaccida technique has been abandoned...so maybe a study starting around 2001 or so would be more accurate relative today's patients.
I think the deal is...were all of these failures BECAUSE of the pars flaccida technique or were there other factors at play? A later study might un-confuse that issue.
on 4/12/11 2:44 am - ~Somewhere in~, PA
This study is interesting HOWEVER, the patients that they studied HAD THE OLD TECHNOLOGY THAT IS NO LONGER USED. The PARS FLACCIDA METHOD WAS INTRODUCED DURING THE FDA approval in the UNITED STATES IN 2001, MOST surgeons started using this method widely in 2004. I got my band placed in 2005 and my surgeon used the Pars Flaccida method and so far so GOOD.
A total of 151 consecutive patients who had benefited from LAGB between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 1997, were contacted for evaluation.
When the lap band was new the erosion rate ran as high as 10 percent. This occurred primarily in Australia and Europe because they used the peri-gastric technique. This lower placement of the band caused a higher slippage rate. The solution to that was to stitch the stomach tightly over the band. Any time you have living tissue in contact with something artificial, in this case the lap band the tissue if under too much tension can't get proper blood flow. As the tissue dies, it can't resist the pressure of the band and it erodes into the stomach. Later on the Europeans and Australians realized they were causing the erosion with their technique and changed to the the pars flaccida technique which places the band much higher on the stomach. They also don't wrap the stomach tissue so tightly over the band so the tissue doesn't die and the band won't erode in. The erosion rate is now down to less than 1%.
Most surgeons nowadays use the Pars Flaccida method to securely stitch the band in place in the back and front, and if the patient follow post op diet instructions their bands WILL NOT SLIP.
I am going on 6 years with my original band and so far no slip and no erosion.....hopefully I will go to my grave with it.
This study is interesting HOWEVER, the patients that they studied HAD THE OLD TECHNOLOGY THAT IS NO LONGER USED. The PARS FLACCIDA METHOD WAS INTRODUCED DURING THE FDA approval in the UNITED STATES IN 2001, MOST surgeons started using this method widely in 2004. I got my band placed in 2005 and my surgeon used the Pars Flaccida method and so far so GOOD.
Thanks for the information, Naomi. 
Batwingsman · 5 replies · 1661 views