Adjustable Silicone Gastric Banding vs Vertical Banded Gastroplasty: a comparison of early results

The Kuzmak adjustable silicone gastric band (ASGB; 33 patients) and the vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG; 91 patients) are compared for weight loss, complication rates, and patient satisfaction. The complexity of the two operations is also compared, using operative time, blood loss, and length of hospitalization. When these three parameters were evaluated, the operations were remarkably similar, although a significant percentage of the ASGB patients left the hospital earlier than the VBG patients. The ASGB group of patients lost 52% of their excess weight (34 kg) and the VBG group 63% (40 kg), with the maximum follow-up being 15 months. Mechanical problems (leaks in the system) occurred in four ASGS patients. This slowed their weight loss and caused dissatisfaction with the procedure. Sixty-four percent of the patients underwent adjustment of the silicone band at least once during the 15 months. Complications included stomal stenosis in 9% of the ASGB patients vs 1.3% in the VBG patients. There was one staple-line leak, one subphrenic abscess (without a leak), and one retrogastric hematoma in the VBG patients. One death occurred in the ASGB group in a patient who was found at surgery to have unanticipated post-hepatitic cirrhosis. There were no deaths in the VBG group. The conclusion reached is that the ASGB compares favorably with the VBG as a bariatric surgical procedure.