Lap Band Complications

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF LAP-BAND SURGERY
Overweight individuals who are considering undergoing the LAP-BAND procedure should be aware of some of the possible adjustable gastric band complications that can result with such a surgery. In fact, one of the possible lap band complications involves the possibility that death may result from the use of the LAP-BAND System.

To date, while there were have been no reported deaths resulting from the surgery in the United State, there have been five reported European fatalities that resulted from complications of LAP-BAND surgery. Each suffered from a different direct cause of death, and the recorded fatalities were the result of a blood clot in the lungs, cardiogenic shock, paralysis of the stomach associated with necrosis and the occurance of neuroleptic malignant syndrome a week following the operation. A specific cause of death was could not be found for the fifth deceased individual.

Another notable lap band surgery risk is the possibility that the stomach wall will tear, a condition known as gastric perforation or gastric rupture. A gastric perforation will release air, stomach acid, and other gastric materials into the peritoneum and can lead to a serious condition known as acute peritonitis. This occurred in about 1% of the patients who underwent the operation during the United States clinical study, and is said to be more likely to occur in the elderly and the morbidly obese.

LAP-BAND surgery risks were quite common during the U.S. clinical study. According to information posted on the official BioEnterics LAP-BAND system website, of the 299 patients who had the procedure, 88% percent experienced side-effects or complications, some of which required additional surgery or hospitalization. Of those, nausea and vomiting were the most common, occurring in 51% of the patients. More than one-third also reported experiencing gastroesophageal reflux, while nearly 25% experienced some sort of slippage-related problem with the band itself. Other side effects reported during the clinical trial include constipation, diarrhea, and difficulty swallowing.

Other serious LAP-BAND problems include slippage of the band or the erosion of the band into the stomach. In some cases, the upper part of the stomach may force the lower portion through the band. This may result in simple intolerance to certain foods, but it can ultimately cause the band to completely obstruct the stomach. If noticed, it should be surgically corrected immediately. Additionally, the body may reject the presence of the band and attempt to eliminate it. While this is not considered an emergency condition, the band should nonetheless be removed as soon as possible should erosion start to occur. These conditions have been reported in at least 10% of those who have had the LAP-BAND procedure done.