Adjustable silicone gastric banding and band erosion: Personal experience and hypotheses

Background: Adjustable silicone gastric banding (ASGB) has been advocated as a minimally invasive procedure that is completely reversible for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. Band erosion (BE) is one of the possible complications of ASGB. The authors report their experience with BE and discuss its possible causes. Methods: Between February 1993 and February 1998, the authors performed 122 ASGB: 51 open and 71 laparoscopic procedures. Results: Two cases of BE occurred (1.6%). Conclusion: Band erosion is a possible complication of ASGB that is often not diagnosed immediately. Prevention is essential and consists primarily in correct placement of the band. There appears to be only one solution to BE: removal of the band. Placement of a new band after removal is possible; the minimum interval is not known.