[Interest of upper digestive tract study preoperatively to prevent in patients carrying a gastric ban. About two cases]

[Respiratory complications of gastroplasty by an adjustable band]

Laparoscopic gastroplasty with an adjustable band is an efficient treatment of morbid obesity. Pulmonary complications have been rarely reported. We differentiate early pulmonary complications (arising before the 30th postoperative day) and long-term pulmonary complications. These latter are often not recognised as linked to the gastroplasty due to inadequate follow-up, loss of contact and underestimation of the symptoms by patients. Long-term pulmonary complications occur in the context of oesophageal dilatation and develop, on average, 2 years after the procedure. The pulmonary complications are: chronic cough, pneumonia, lung abscess, interstitial pneumonia secondary to recurrent aspiration and bronchial aspiration during induction of anaesthesia. Deflation of the band may be necessary to relieve the symptoms, but sometimes at the price of a subsequent increase in weight.

Current world literature

This bibliography is compiled by clinicians from the journals listed at the end of this publication. It is based on literature entered into our database between 1 February 2008 and 31 January 2009 (articles are generally added to the database about two and a half months after publication). In addition, the bibliography contains every paper annotated by reviewers; these references were obtained from a variety of bibliographic databases and published between the beginning of the review period and the time of going to press. The bibliography has been grouped into topics that relate to the reviews in this issue.