We are no longer accepting cases regarding these products.  Due to a terrible Supreme Court ruling, consumers injured by this product are no longer permitted to sue the manufacturers of this device.  We wish we could help, but the Supreme Court has taken the rights of citizens away to protect the profits of medical device manufacturers.  For more information, please read the following New York Times article entitled “Medical Device Ruling Redraws Lines on Lawsuits.

In 2011, J. Chrisholm et al. published a study in Obesity Surgery titled “Gastric band erosion in 63 cases: endoscopic removal and rebanding evaluated.”, that lived up to its name and reviewed some 63 cases of LAP-BAND erosion.

The authors write, “Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) remains the most popular bariatric procedure performed in Australia and Europe” and “Gastric band erosion is a significant complication that results in band removal.”  So, “The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of band erosion and its subsequent management with a particular focus on rebanding results.”

In all, the authors identified 1,874 patients who underwent gastric banding between August 1996 and October 2010.  It was found that band erosion (migration of the band) occurred in 63 patients – 3.4%.  It ought to be noted that this is more than twice the rate as that disclosed in the LAP-BAND Warning Label, which assumes erosion will only occur in about 1.33% of patients.

Concerning the patients in whom LAP-BAND erosion took place, the study team writes “Symptoms included abdominal pain in 24 (38%), obstruction in 7 (11%), recurrent port infection in 5 (8%), reflux symptoms in 2 (3%) and sepsis in 2 (3%). Fourteen patients (22%) had discolouration of the fluid in their band. Endoscopic removal was attempted in 50 patients with successful removal in 46 (92%).”  They also state that “Rebanding was performed in 29 patients and 5 (17%) experienced a second erosion.”

Our Allergan LAP-BAND Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about the Allergan LAP-BAND.