Yesterday, my boyfriend told me that a guy at his work, who had the lap-band, had to have emergency gastric bypass because the band had made a hole in his stomach because it had slipped. I told him that that was the most absurd thing I had ever heard. I just wanna know your thoughts on this.

the band can definitely erode into the stomach

It can happen. Not paying attention to the rules can cause your band to slip. Taking Nsaids can cause the lining of the stomach to ulcer and create a hole where the band is. Violent vomiting episodes can cause slips. And, in a very minor amount of cases, the band can slip for no reason.

But, most slips don't cause a catastrophic penetration of the band into the wall of the stomach. You'll probably never know why this patient got the hole since most patients don't fess up to misbehaving while banded.

Can the band erode? Yes. As TMF pointed out, most of the time it happens because the patient screwed up.

Emergency Gastric Bypass? Doesn't exist. Gastric Bypass is never an "emergency surgery". In fact, very often after a failed Lap Band the patient has to wait months to revise to a new surgery so their stomach can heal.

From what I know and have gathered by reading posts on this forum, the erosion process of a band is not usually a rapid one. A slipped band would not immediately cause erosion from what I have read.

Emergency surgery is usually related to life threatening medical issues. Perhaps after ignoring some symptoms that may occur with a slipped band required removal of their band. I find it a bit difficult to believe that this individual required an "emergency" gastric bypass.

If we take care of our band by following the rules, our bands usually take good care of us.

Yesterday, my boyfriend told me that a guy at his work, who had the lap-band, had to have emergency gastric bypass because the band had made a hole in his stomach because it had slipped. I told him that that was the most absurd thing I had ever heard. I just wanna know your thoughts on this.

Not absurd at all, the lap band can be very dangerous if rules are not followed, some people vomit their food EVERY SINGLE DAY, never follow rules, drink alcohol daily, carbonated drinks, never follow up when they have problems, keep the band dangerously too tight, etc...

Usually when the band erodes, some surgeons will revise the patient to the Sleeve, Bypass or DS, but usually NOT at the same time, sometimes some surgeons will remove most of the stomach after a bad erosion and create a Sleeve like stomach.

However, no one really know why band erosion occur, some surgeons speculate it can be caused by several things below:

1. The LapBand around the stomach gradually erodes into the stomach wall over time, and goes into the gastric lumen, as we have seen with other intrabdominal devices.

2.The stomach damage done during the LapBand procedure debilitates the layers of the stomach wall, resulting in erosion at a later time.

3.The sutures were placed too deep and trespassed all the wall layers of the stomach, causing micro perforations that generate leaking, infection and later erosion.

4.Events that happens inside the stomach, such as frequent vomiting, medications, ingestion of irritants as spicy or hot food, alcohol, etc. as well as a large adjustment to the band system, will produce an ulcer that penetrates toward the balloon of the band.

http://arturorodriguezmd.com/lapband-erosion/

Yesterday, my boyfriend told me that a guy at his work, who had the lap-band, had to have emergency gastric bypass because the band had made a hole in his stomach because it had slipped. I told him that that was the most absurd thing I had ever heard. I just wanna know your thoughts on this.

Also as I honestly think about it, before I got my NEW band placed last year, I was eating out at restaurants with my hubby, and not paying attention to types of food I was eating, I was 7 years out, living life.

I had been eating LOTS of spicy food, salsa, etc, which caused gastritis, which CAN lead to ulcers, however, it did not get that bad, but when you have a lap band LONG TERM, you have to always be mindful of spicy food, too much alcohol, etc.....

I think this contributed to inflaming a hernia which caused pain, and a revision surgery....so BE CAREFUL

My band was great for the first year, I was careful and followed the rules (most of the time) Now I am running into trouble after a weekend of binge eating and vomiting. I am more than willing to fess up to my behaviour - I know that unhealthy eating, emotional eating etc., is what led me to the lap band. I am struggling to get back on track and hope that I have not done serious damage.

It can happen. Not paying attention to the rules can cause your band to slip. Taking Nsaids can cause the lining of the stomach to ulcer and create a hole where the band is. Violent vomiting episodes can cause slips. And, in a very minor amount of cases, the band can slip for no reason.

But, most slips don't cause a catastrophic penetration of the band into the wall of the stomach. You'll probably never know why this patient got the hole since most patients don't fess up to misbehaving while banded.

Exactly! Most patients DO NOT FESS UP when something has happened to their bands, I will support anyone with band issues, but I don't support lairs and band bashers, we are not perfect, the reason we got the band, and if someone think for ONE minute that their over eating will just disappear while having a band they are fooling themselves and everyone else.

The thing is learning how to deal with the band, practicing new eating behaviors, I was a PERFECT band patient for 6 ENTIRE YEARS, as years go by things happen, you get married, get complacent, get laxed on the rules, etc. and before you know it you've got some SERIOUS band issues...LOL...

This is why many long term bandsters will either remove some saline to eat more freely to prevent pouch dilation, or get saline removed if they plan on eating a lot on vacation, etc....eating too much on a very restricted is a no no.

My band slipped after only eight months. Vomiting on a frequent basis is a major cause of band slips. I had only vomited twice when my band slip was diagnosed, which apparently is very unusual. However, I did know at the time that my band was irritated after eating too much/wrong things while on vacation. I knew I should go on liquids for a couple of days, and let things settle down, and the swelling subside, but I didn't. Therefore, I consider myself responsible for my slip...

A lot of people opt for lapband as an "easy and completely reversible" weight loss surgery, neither of which is true. Weight loss surgery of any kind requires a dedication to changing a lifetime of bad eating habits.

Thanks you guys for informing me otherwise! I had no idea. Guess I was wrong. You learn something everyday.

My band was great for the first year, I was careful and followed the rules (most of the time) Now I am running into trouble after a weekend of binge eating and vomiting. I am more than willing to fess up to my behaviour - I know that unhealthy eating, emotional eating etc., is what led me to the lap band. I am struggling to get back on track and hope that I have not done serious damage.

Most all of us fall off the wagon with a binge or two so just get back on. Now vomiting is another story? If it's true hurling as we do when we get the stomach flu, that's bad. You can cause the band to tear away from the sutures holding it to the stomach causing a slip. Be careful and you behave yourself k?