Let loose technique, an option in band migration

Abstract

Obesity is nowadays a serious worldwide public health problem. In order to give patients a better quality of live, there are now medical and surgical treatments that may be offered to those patients. Since 2005, the Hospital de Santarém has been doing bariatric surgery. From 77 procedures with laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, there were three cases of migration. The authors propose a new procedure to deal with migrations, according to a classification for band migration, as an alternative to a removal by laparoscopy or laparotomy. Let loose technique is a procedure that can be used in patients with band migration beyond the angle of Treitz and without other associated complications. It is consist of removing the port under local anaesthesia, leaving the insufflations' tube, hospitalization for monitoring the patient and awaiting for the elimination of the band with faeces. It's less costly and with minimal risks for patient. The first results are satisfactory and encouraging.