Treating morbid obesity with laparoscopically placed, adjustable gastric band

The authors present their first experiences on the laparoscopically placed, adjustable gastric band treatment of morbid obesity. Treating of the morbid obesity in a surgical way, this particular method is widely accepted as the less invasive and most modern procedure, with the benefit of adjustability of the gastric band. During the spring of 1999, 4 patients were treated with the method described above, 3 male and 1 female, the average BMI was 47.5 kg/m2. The mean operating time was 150 minutes (90-270), the patients left hospital the third day after the operations. We noticed no early complications, except for 1 band being displaced, it was replaced immediately by laparoscopic technique. The method, widely used all over the world is opening new aspects on treating morbid obese patients in our country, if properly indicated and operated, giving long lasting effective results.