DrPleatman

Let me clarify some issues about band erosion. When the banding operation was first developed, few sutures were placed to hold the band in place. In a short time, it was recognized that this was a bad idea; there was a very high incidence of band slippage. To solve this problem, many sutures were placed from the stomach below the band to the stomach above the band. This anchors the band in a tunnel and maintains its position. If too many sutures are placed, or they are too tight near the buckle, there is a risk of the hard silicone rubber of the buckle to erode into the stomach. This potential problem was recognized fairly early after band erosions started to appear, and most surgeons now know not to place too many sutures in this area. Band erosion is very uncommon now. It's a matter of not too many and not too few. The good news is that most band erosions (and slippages) generally occur within the first 3 years of the initial surgery. After that, the incidence of these problems drops off. In other words, if there is going to be a problem it will happen in the first 3 years. I hope this answers your question. Mark Pleatman MD www.laparoscopy.com/pleatman

I've started writing a LapBAND Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Page for my website. I would welcome any criticism or additional questions that I might be able to answer. Check it out at www.laparoscopy.com/pleatman and click on "LapBand FAQ." Thanks Mark Pleatman MD

Hi all. Thanks for the complements. I just wanted to give my correct website and location. It's: www.laparoscopy.com/pleatman I am located in Bloomfield Hills, MI I no longer go to Mexico to do surgery, as I have negotiated a good package price with one of our hospitals here in the USA. Total for LapBand, including surgery, anesthesia, hospital, and 2 years of fills, is about $12,500. I will also see patients who have been banded elsewhere. I have 2 options: either pay $250 for the first fill and $150 for subsequent fills, or $2000 for 2 years of unlimited fills, dietitian visits, support, etc. Mark Pleatman MD