Revision of failed gastric banding to mini-gastric bypass

Background: Although laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has been found to be a generally successful weight loss operation, there are reports of occasional LAGB failure. The results of rescue procedures for these patients are important. The mini-gastric bypass (MGB) is a safe and effective alternative to other bariatric surgical procedures. We report the results of conversion of 3 failed LAGB procedures to MGB. Methods: In a series of 2,595 patients who underwent MGB, 3 had previously undergone an LAGB that failed to sustain weight loss. Results: Average operative time was 54 minutes in LAGB conversions to MGB (compared to 37.5 minutes in primary MGB), and length of stay was 1 day. There were no complications in the patients converted MGB. The weight loss in converted MGB patients was similar to the weight loss in primary MGB patients, with a mean weight loss at 1 year of 60 kg (79% of excess weight) Conclusion: Conversion of failed LAGB to MGB was a safe procedure that added similar to 20 minutes to the short MGB operating time. Patient satisfaction was high, recovery was rapid, and weight loss was very good.