42-month preliminary follow-up of the silastic ring vertical banded gastroplasty.
BACKGROUND: The authors review preliminary experience with silastic ring vertical gastroplasty (SRVG). METHODS: Of 202 patients who underwent SRVG, 191 are more than 3 months postoperation and of these 165 were accessible for review. RESULTS: Pouch volume could not be readily measured. The TA90BN stapler was occasionally difficult to apply exactly at the angle of His. There was one subphrenic abscess, one gastric bleed, and one dehiscence. Vomiting occurred in eight patients who required reoperation: ring removal, three; cholecystectomy, one; conversion to vertical banded gastroplasty, one; conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, three. There was no mortality. Weight loss has been satisfactory to 42 months. CONCLUSION: SRVG has been a relatively simple operation, with acceptable morbidity and weight loss thus far.