Gastric pouch dilatation: Complication after laparoscopic implantation of a LAP-BAND in pathological adiposity.

In 20 patients with morbid obesity a laparoscopic silicon gastric banding w as installed using a LAP-BAND. All patients were examined postoperatively w ith water-soluble oral contrast material according to the usual protocol. 8 weeks after the operation a second control with thickened barium sulfate w as added to measure and adjust the width of the silicon band. There were no early postoperative complications. But in the follow-up three patients pre sented with a pathologic gastric pouch-dilatation. This severe complication , which can have different etiologies, requires early detection and specifi c therapy.