PERIPROSTHESIS SEPSIS - AN UNDESIRABLE COMPLICATION OF SILICONE GASTRIC BANDING

Background: Gastric banding is a very satisfactory procedure for the t reatment of morbid obesity. The significant incidence of skin suppurat ion in these patients makes the laparoscopic approach a suitable techn ique. Regardless of this, in some cases, suppuration can still rarely result. Methods and Results: In four patients the authors observed dif fusion of suppuration in both directions along the catheter which conn ects the port to the band, necessitating band removal and thus invalid ating the procedure. Conclusions: Suppuration of port location is an u ndesirable complication that must be avoided because it may contaminat e the entire device system. This complication must be carefully evalua ted for a correct diagnosis and an eventual removal of the band. (C) 1 998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.