Aim: Metabolic and bariatric surgery is an established treatment for severe obesity.Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) was once considered a promising option for adolescents. However, long-term data in this population are lacking. We aimed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of LAGB in adolescents extending beyond three years postoperatively. Methods: Adolescents with severe obesity were randomly assigned to the intervention group (LAGB and MLI) or the control group (MLI), with annual follow-ups for three years. We conducted a follow-up analysis of this cohort after 8.6 years range,5.0-12.5. Results: 59 patients were randomized( 29 LAGB+MLI and 30 MLI only) Early differences in weight loss were observed during the first two years, but no significant difference persisted after 8.7 years (mean difference BMI 1.8 kg/m2, 95% CI-3.2,6.8). The band removal rate was high (52%). Conclusions: After nearly 9 years, LAGB resulted in minimal weight loss and had a high removal rate in adolescents with severe obesity. Our study was limited by loss to follow-up, self-reported weights, and cross-over. Nonetheless, these findings confirm the lack of efficacy that has led to the global decline in LAGB procedures and underscore the shift toward more effective surgical procedures.
Boom et al. (Mon,) studied this question.