October - December 2005, Volume 1, Issue 4

Iordache N, Iorgulescu A, Coculescu A, Iordache M, Stoica A

Endoscopic and laparoscopic treatment of obesity

Acta Endo (Buc) 2005, 1 (4): 453-461
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2005.453

Today therapeutic options for obesity include miniinvasive methods. The authors present the results of a prospective study regarding a lot of 224 obese patients treated between January 2003 ? January 2005 with laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) (n=184) and endogastric balloon (n=40). The medium body mass index (BMI) of admission for LAGB was 46.08 kg/m2 (extremes between 36 ? 71 kg/m2), 42 patients being super obese (BMI over 50 kg/m2). There were no conversions to open techniques. Postoperative evaluations were at 1, 6 and 12 months. Medium BMI was 39.1 kg/m2 (115 patients) at six months after surgery and 38.78 kg/m2 (59 patients) at one year after surgery. Comorbidities were remitted at 72% of patients at 6 months postsurgery. The patients treated with endogastric balloon endoscopically introduced (40 cases) were followed 6 months, after that they were extracted (26 cases). The medium BMI of admission was 33 kg/m2 (extremes between 21 ? 43 kg/m2) and at 6 months the medium BMI was 26.8 kg/m2. Although we do not benefit of a long time follow-up, the favorable initial results allow us to state that miniinvasive techniques deserve an important place in the efforts of struggling against obesity and its consequences.

Keywords: obesity, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), endogastric balloon

Correspondence: Nicolae Iordache, Department of Surgery, ?Sf. Ioan? Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania, Sos. Vitan-Barzesti nr.13, Sector 4, Bucharest, Romania, 42122; e-mail: nicolae.iordache@yahoo.com