Adolescent Gastric Banding: a 5-Year Longitudinal Study

Background: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is used to treat obesity in adults. Less is known about long-term results of the procedure in adolescents. Objectives: To evaluate LAGB 5-year outcomes in teenagers with severe obesity. Setting: Children’s hospital, USA. Methods: Adolescents (14–18 years) underwent LAGB in an FDA-approved observational clinical trial. Outcomes including anthropometric measurements, comorbid conditions, complications, and band retention were collected through 60 months. Results: One hundred thirty-seven subjects underwent LAGB (94 female, 43 male; 43% white, 37% Hispanic, 17% black; 4% other). Mean age and body mass index (BMI) pre-operatively were 17.0 + 1.2 years and 48.3 + 8.2 kg/m², respectively. Comorbidities were present in 71%. Maximum weight loss occurred by 36 months (mean % excess weight loss (EWL) 40.6 + 35.2, mean % excess BMI loss (EBMIL) 41.6 + 34.9) and was maintained through 5 years for most subjects. There were no significant differences in weight loss by gender. Twenty-three (18%) of 127 adolescents reporting at 60 months achieved 50% excess weight loss. Postoperative heartburn and emesis occurred in 70% and 32%, respectively. Complications requiring additional surgery occurred 80 times in 63 patients. Thirty-three (26%) of 127 subjects contacted at 5 years had undergone band removal. Conclusion: In this study, fewer than 20% of adolescents with severe obesity lost > 50% of their excess weight following LAGB. Nearly 50% of patients required additional surgery. With reports of success following sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass, we believe that LAGB is not a preferred choice to treat adolescents with obesity.