MARLEX MESH GASTRIC BANDING - A 7-12 YEAR FOLLOW-UP

This paper presents a 7-12 year (mean 9.8 years) follow-up of 92 extre mely obese patients treated with Marlex(R) mesh gastric banding (GB). The follow-up rate was 92% (85 patients). Weight loss was initially go od (an average reduction in BMI of 13 during the first year), but late weight gain has been a common complaint and a reason for reoperation. Other complications that necessitated reoperation were severe vomitin g and esophagitis not amenable to medical treatment. Four patients hav e developed signs of Barrett's esophagus at late follow-up. Forty-six patients (50%) were reoperated 70 times for correction of the band or conversion to vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG). The most common reop erative procedure was conversion to VBG (38 patients). Only 25 (31%) o f the 80 patients with long-term follow-up have an intact band. Our re sults show the need of long follow-up and that this GB cannot be recom mended for the treatment of morbid obesity.