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Doctors from six departments of the Prince of Wales
Hospital have carried out a research into the efficacy of laparoscopic
adjustable gastric banding in the management of morbidly obese Chinese
patients.
Published in the February 2005 issue of Hong Kong Medical Journal,
the cohort study involved 10 patients (6 male, 4 female) undergoing
this surgery. Excessive body weight loss, quality-of-life score,
and co-morbidities improvement were also evaluated.
The operation was successful in all patients. Three patients required
overnight observation in the intensive care unit because of severe
sleep apnoea and asthma. Mean percentage of excessive weight loss
at 6, 12, and 18 months was 34.9%, 36.5%, and 40.5%, respectively.
One year postoperatively, unsatisfactory weight loss (<20 kg)
occurred in three patients because of poor dietary compliance and
non-follow-up. The surgery also considerably improved the patients'
obesity-related co-morbidities (hypertension, diabetes, and obstructive
sleep apnoea) and the quality of life.
The doctors concluded that laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding
is an effective procedure for morbid obesity, but longer follow-up
is required to show if the weight loss is maintainable. They also
emphasised that this surgery should be recommended only on medical
grounds but not for aesthetic motivation.
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