Loading...
The two most common bariatric procedures — Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding — have been compared primarily in nonrandomized observational studies. In this randomized trial from California, 197 obese patients underwent either laparoscopic bypass or laparoscopic banding and were followed for efficacy and surgical complications.
No deaths had occurred at 90 days in either group. Major complications were more common after bypass than after banding, both during the first 30 days (6% vs. 2%) and after 30 days (26% vs. 12%). Major complications after bypass were primarily bowel obstruction (4 of 7 early complications) and anastomotic strictures (17 of 29 late complications). On average, bypass patients had lost a greater prop…