Does Conversion Surgery Work After a Gastric Band
A 2023 study found that people who needed further weight loss surgery after a gastric band achieved meaningful weight loss through two different conversion procedures, with similar rates of improvement in related health conditions.
Up to 6 in 10 People Who Have a Gastric Band May Eventually Need Conversion Surgery
Researchers in this study looked at patients who had an adjustable gastric band (a device placed around the stomach to restrict food intake) but experienced poor results or regained weight over time. The study reviewed 335 patients who underwent conversion surgery between 2016 and 2020. They were converted to either a sleeve gastrectomy (where part of the stomach is removed to create a smaller, sleeve-shaped stomach) or a one anastomosis gastric bypass (a procedure that reroutes part of the digestive system to reduce how much food is absorbed).
Both Procedures Led to Meaningful Weight Loss and Similar Health Improvements
Patients who had the gastric bypass conversion lost about 29 to 31 percent of their total body weight over four years, while those who had the sleeve gastrectomy conversion lost around 17 to 19 percent over the same period. Regardless of which procedure was performed, similar proportions of patients saw improvement in related health conditions, including around 6 in 10 people experiencing remission of type 2 diabetes. There were no leaks or deaths recorded for either procedure, though complications were roughly twice as common after the gastric bypass conversion compared to the sleeve gastrectomy conversion.
This Study Has Useful Findings but Also Clear Limits
The study did not randomly assign patients to each procedure, which means the two groups had different starting characteristics, such as different average body weights. The authors themselves note that longer term randomised trials are still needed to fully understand outcomes over time, and results vary from person to person.
About this research: Efficacy and Safety of Sleeve Gastrectomy or One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass Conversion Following Adjustable Gastric Banding, published in Obesity Surgery, 2023. Read the study summary
More information about this topic is on our lap band page. If you are considering your options, call us on (03) 9760 2777 or request an appointment through our website.