Study: Almost 50% Of Lap Band Patients Had The Band Removed - Is This True ?

[marketingdude 79]

Here is the article:

http://health.usnews...ap-band-surgery

Allergan said that many changes to the band have occured. But bottom line.....how prevelant is having the band removed after 10-15 years? It may not be around 50% now...but bottom line...I'm sure its a decent percentage (25-35% perhaps maybe ?)

Thoughts or Opinions from experienced Bansters?

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

You're sure it's a decent percentage (25-35%)? What makes you sure of that?

The study quoted in that article consisted of only 151 patients, studied in Belgium from 1994-1997.

I'm not a big fan of statistics. I agree with a boss I once had who used to say, "Figures can lie, and liars can figure." I'm not calling you a liar, just pointing out that statistics can be manipulated to support just about any argument.

[clarks4willie 153]

I do hope it's not true.

If I conducted my own study, I know 9 people personally who've had the band put in and 1 who had no success, because of her own doing, and had it removed. This is over a 4 year period. So that's a pretty small percent.

[2muchfun 8,928]

Jean is right. You also have to take into consideration that of the 151 patients contacted, only 82 responded. And from what I've learned about reviews of products, people who are dissatisfied will respond much more than those who have just moved on with their lives. Read from the study below.

"All 151 patients from the cohort were contacted by certified letter and by telephone. Only 82 responded. This low response rate after 12 years is rather deceiving and could be attributed to a general lack of compliance among this particular patient population"

"Another limitation of our study concerns the surgical technique. Indeed, there is some evidence to suggest that the more recent “pars flaccida” technique and the use of wider, softer bands provide better overall results than the “perigastric” technique that we used at the time, especially concerning the erosion rate and the incidences of band slippage and pouch dilatation.²³

Last but not least, one could object that our results reflect a learning curve among surgeons. However, as mentioned earlier, our department started performing LAGB more than 14 months before the time of the onset of this study and had performed some 50 LAGB procedures at that time. It is generally accepted that the learning curve for an advanced laparoscopic procedure affects some 35 cases"

tmf

[AlleyKat 26]

Love that quote Jean. A study can be manipulated to show pretty much whatever the author chooses to show. Remember also that Correlation does not equal causation. There are always other factors that play in to studys. It may look like the band was removed 50% of the time but WHY? Was it failure of the band or failure of the user? What happened to the people who dropped out of the study?

Also the band has come a long way with many improvements to how it is made and used. It is a relativly new procedure as well so it will take years, possibly decades before they will be able to do a study that truely reflects the success of the band.

[Rojasanoll 920]

Here is the article:

http://health.usnews...ap-band-surgery

Allergan said that many changes to the band have occured. But bottom line.....how prevelant is having the band removed after 10-15 years? It may not be around 50% now...but bottom line...I'm sure its a decent percentage (25-35% perhaps maybe ?)

Thoughts or Opinions from experienced Bansters?

I read this article and my sister works for Allergan and I have had the priveledge to read other lab studies from Allergan that my sister was allowed to check out for me. What this article didn't say is that a good percentage of the people who chose or had to remove lapband would have prematurely died because of their obesity. So I look at you take a chance and live 12 extra years with the Band.

None of the diets out there are guaranteed to work so why not try the Band.

[marketingdude 79]

I understand how stats can be misleading and you can make stats say anything you want (and the above study does have some question marks as it relates to today).

HOWEVER, it still is an important factor when looking at the big picture with the band in terms of understanding the fullness of what may get into. I will be curious to hear more recent studies. Is there anyway we can get any updated studies or good information on this topic?

[marketingdude 79]

I read this article and my sister works for Allergan and I have had the priveledge to read other lab studies from Allergan that my sister was allowed to check out for me.

Can you please share with us other studies they found? I'm sure alot of us would like to see and hear of these updated studies.

However, I know asking to get Allergan's Studies is potentially like asking a fox to guard your baby chicken in the barn.

Translation: It may not be wise to bark up that tree because they profit immensely from the Lap By and Industry. They could have MANY INCENTIVES to lie about actual quality facts and research.

That said....I would still like to know what they are publishing....just don't know the exact place to find this research.

Thanks guys...I'm getting the Lap Band in 2 months barring financing. Just want to know fully what I'm getting into .

Blessings,

MD

[marketingdude 79]

Here is another interesting study I found. Interesting that their failure rate was around 50% also and the study was from 2000-2005.

However, their definitition of failure rate consisted of Expected Wait Loss less was than 25% and lap band removal within 10 years.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22219011

I'm still get the procedure as I'm motivated as ALL HECK....but the more studies we find....the more well informed and perspective we will have.

Blessings,

MD

[goddesscordelia 30]

I don't think I'll ever get mine out- talk to me in 10 years!

-Cordelia, banded 1/08

[Desdemona 48]

People have made a lot of good responses to the study. They are right.

I do know that a fair amount of people end-up having it removed because of complications. Many of those complications are associated with: 1) older types of bands, 2) older surgical techniques, 3) less experienced surgeons, 4) patients not sticking to proper LB habits. Also, sometimes a person's body just doesn't do well on the band. I read all those studies before I got the band. I did the best I could to pick out a good surgeon. I read some books about how to live with a LB. But even after all of that --- I have to say that I have not always been good to my LB. I have times that I do well and other times -- I really go overboard and I gain up to 10lbs. So far -- I have been able to turn myself around ---but I live in fear that someday I won't be able to do it. I keep hoping that over time --- I can learn to control my bad eating habits so that if something happens and I have to have it removed --- I can maintain on my own.

[NWgirl 574]

Like it has been stated, the study posted here is one that used older band models and only had about 50% of the solicited patients actually respond. Obviously, there are things to consider when stepping into any type of procedure, but I would look for more up to date information.

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

Can you please share with us other studies they found? I'm sure alot of us would like to see and hear of these updated studies.

However, I know asking to get Allergan's Studies is potentially like asking a fox to guard your baby chicken in the barn.

Translation: It may not be wise to bark up that tree because they profit immensely from the Lap By and Industry. Of course they do. They're a corporation trying to make profit so they can pay their employees and dividends for their shareholders. That's what corporations do. They could have MANY INCENTIVES to lie about actual quality facts and research.

That said....I would still like to know what they are publishing....just don't know the exact place to find this research. Try searching some key words at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/.

Thanks guys...I'm getting the Lap Band in 2 months barring financing. Just want to know fully what I'm getting into . That's admirable, but I hope you're also studying up on how to live with the band. Because unless you're on the Board of Directors at Allergan or Ethicon, there isn't much you can do to affect the design, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the band, whereas there's a lot you can do to affect your own success with the band.

Blessings,

MD

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

Here is another interesting study I found. Interesting that their failure rate was around 50% also and the study was from 2000-2005.

However, their definitition of failure rate consisted of Expected Wait Loss less was than 25% and lap band removal within 10 years.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22219011

I'm still get the procedure as I'm motivated as ALL HECK....but the more studies we find....the more well informed and perspective we will have.

Blessings,

MD

Here's the line from that abstract that resonates for me:

Nevertheless, LAGB had a remarkably safe course, and it may therefore be considered for motivated and informed patients.

Since you're both motivated and informed, I'd say the band is a good choice for you.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,722]

seems to me, you can either kill yourself (slowly) being obese (and all that comes with it, diabete's, joint problems, heart problems etc) or you can get a surgery and have a tool placed around your stomach to help you not eat as much.

sure there maybe complications and then again maybe not.

any surgery could have issues, not just the lapband.

i am not as experienced as some (jean who wrote a band bible)

but i can tell you that getting this band has made my life better.

i for one do not care what that report says. I printed it off and showed it to my dr last month (as i have seen it before). and my friend tmf pointed out, it was reference to 151 patients and it unfair to bunch the whole lot of banders in this.

its up to you to make the band work.

not the other way around.