Complications of gastric banding presenting to the ED

Acutely slipped gastric band with gastric necrosis and massive haemorrhage

We present a case of acute gastric band slippage with gastric necrosis and massive haemoperitoneum necessitating an emergency surgery. The patient presented with an 8h history of dysphagia, vomiting and epigastric pain. Initial examination was unremarkable, but within 6h the patient suddenly deteriorated with a distended peritonitic abdomen. At laparotomy the patient was found to have gastric band slippage, a distended necrotic gastric pouch, a denuded spleen and a massive intraperitoneal haemorrhage of approximately 4l. A splenectomy was performed to control haemorrhage and sleeve gastrectomy to remove the necrotic pouch. The patient made an uneventful recovery. There are no reported cases of massive intraperitoneal haemorrhage or splenic involvement in cases of gastric band slippage. We believe that the gastric necrosis lead to short gastric and splenic vein thrombus and splenic outflow obstruction. This resulted in a subcapsular haematoma which subsequently ruptured causing acute deterioration.

[Gastric band erosion as complication of bariatric surgery. Case report and review of the literature]

Gastric banding has become a common procedure amongst bariatric surgery techniques. Because of the possibility of using a laparoscopic route to achieve a good technical result and low complication rates, this method has become the most frequently used options in the treatment of morbid obesity in Chile. We report an uncommon complication that, if left undiagnosed, could lead to considerable morbidity and even mortality: gastric band erosion and intragastric migration. Radiologists, gastroenterologists and surgeons should be able to recognize this event to provide a prompt diagnosis.

Palatal Ulcers due to Vomiting after Gastric Band Tightening

Adjustable gastric banding is a widely used modality in some countries for the treatment of morbid obesity, and several complications have been reported. We report the unusual case of a patient who developed bilateral ulcers of the palate after intense vomiting caused by tightening of her gastric band.

Gastric Slippage as an Emergency: Diagnosis and Management

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is an increasingly common procedure for morbid obesity. The most prevalent complication following LAGB is band slippage leading to gastric prolapse. These cases often present to the emergency department where surgeons need to appropriately diagnose and stabilize the patient, prior to any surgical intervention. It is imperative that surgeons at all levels of training implement an organized, effective acute management plan to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this life-threatening condition. This report highlights the case of a gastric banding patient who presented to an emergency department >1 year after a LAGB operation had been performed, with dysphagia. The diagnosis of gastric prolapse can be overlooked, with potentially serious consequences.

Bariatric Surgery

It is estimated that more than 5% of US adults are morbidly obese (body mass index higher than 40). Morbid obesity is associated with adverse health conditions including prolonged morbidity and early mortality while affecting people of lower socioeconomic means. A variety of surgical procedures have evolved over the past 30 years to address this problem with varying degrees of success and longevity. For those patients achieving dramatic weight loss, reconstructive cosmetic surgery is often necessary or desirable. Techniques to achieve this are described.

Chest pain in the early postoperative period after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: four case reports

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is gaining popularity as a technique for achieving effective weight loss in the severely obese population. It is a minimally invasive procedure and the reported early morbidity is low. However, we have observed at our institution that occasional patients complain of central chest pain, mimicking angina (verbal pain score of > 7 out of 10), within 2 h after the procedure. This is a worrying symptom because obesity is known to be a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular complications. We have now performed 250 LAGB operations at our hospital. The following four case reports document our patients who presented with early chest pain postoperatively. Common characteristics of male gender, morbid obesity and some degree of obstructive sleep apnoea were identified among the cases. The aetiology of the chest pain is uncertain; nevertheless, close monitoring is vital to exclude pathological events such as acute coronary syndrome.

Iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernia due to laparoscopic gastric banding

A patient developed a huge diaphragmatic hernia following laparoscopic gastric banding. Almost the entire stomach was incarcerated within the left chest. Segmental necrosis of the greater curvature of the stomach necessitated partial gastrectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful. The etiology, diagnosis and treatment of this previously undescribed complication of laparoscopic gastric banding are addressed in relation to the present case.