Endoscopy of vertical banded gastroplasty

Vertical banded gastroplasty is the most common operation for morbid obesity. Postoperative gastroscopy was needed 91 times in 79 of 696 patients for 1) abdominal pain (23), 2) excess vomiting (22), 3) inadequate weight loss (14), 4) excess weight loss (13), 5) and a sudden increase in eating capacity (7). A normal appearance consisted of a clean gastric channel 6.8 +/- 1.4 SD cm long, with a rosette 46.6 +/- 2.1 cm from the incisors and, with insufflation, an 11 mm scope passed through this pseudopylorus snugly, but without difficulty. In Group 1, no problem was seen in the channel, and cholecystitis was found to be the cause. In Group 2, no problem was observed in ten (poor teeth and chewing), six experienced stasis or pill ulcerations, four had bezoars (fragmented or removed with basket), and two had intraluminal mesh. In Group 3, the scope floated through too large an outlet (greater than or equal to 13 mm) in eight, and no cause was seen in six (gorgers, sweets-eaters). In Group 4, tightness or stricture resolved with dilatations (Eder-Puestow; Savary; balloon dilators) in six, but seven required re-operation. In Group 5, the scope travelled through four breakdowns in the partition and three outlets were too large. Gastroscopy viewed problems accurately, indicated treatment and suggested modifications in gastroplasty technique.