Four-year experience with outpatient laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding

Background: Outpatient laparoscopic procedures have been performed in various fields of surgery, and laparoscopic gastric banding is no exception. We present our series of outpatient laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedures performed at 2 centers. Methods: A total of 348 patients were retrospectively analyzed. All patients met the National Institutes of Health criteria for bariatric surgery. Additionally, to be included in an outpatient surgery procedure, patients had to meet 4 other criteria: body mass index<55, American Society of Anesthesiologists class ≤3, no extensive abdominal surgical history (in the upper gastrointestinal tract), and no untreated sleep apnea. Results: There were 282 women and 66 men, with a mean age of 41.3 years. The mean preoperative weight and BMI were 266.7 pounds and 43.1 kg/m ², respectively. The median operative time was 70 minutes, and the median blood loss was 5 mL. The median length of stay was.3 day (range.1-.4). Fifty-seven patients underwent additional associated procedures. During follow-up, 20 patients required a reoperation. Two patients required admission to the hospital. There was no perioperative or postoperative mortality. Before discharge, all patients underwent an upper gastrointestinal swallow. Conclusion: Outpatient laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is a well-tolerated, cost-effective bariatric procedure for patients who meet the inclusion criteria.