What are some of the potential complications with the band?
The band generally has more overall complications than other bariatric operations, but the overwhelming majority of the complications are very minor. The band can “slip” in about two percent of patients, meaning that it can slip out of position and cause reflux, vomiting, or pain. This is usually diagnosed with an X-ray and requires an operation to correct. The band can also erode into the stomach, requiring an operation to correct. This occurs in about one percent of Lap-Band procedures. At Transforming Lives, we have never had a band erode in one of our patients. Finally, patients may experience difficulty swallowing, have large bites of food stuck at the opening of the band, or dialation of their swallowing tube that could require the removal of the fluid in the band or an operation to remove the band.
