Gastro-gastric Fistula: a Rare Complication of Gastric Banding

Gastric banding was a common procedure over the last decades, but, because of its poor results in weight loss and frequent complications, it has been avoided. A rare complication of this surgical technique is the formation of a gastro-gastric fistula. The authors report a case of an obese woman who underwent gastric banding, and, due to the onset of epigastric discomfort and sporadic vomiting, the band was removed. The patient persisted with the symptoms, and a gastro-gastric fistula was diagnosed. Our surgical approach was a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with ligation of the fistula since the patient still had a body mass index of 37 kg/m 2 . Gastro-gastric fistula after gastric banding is a rare complication, and its diagnosis can be a challenge.There is no consensus on what surgical technique to use, but a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with ligation of the fistula is a safe procedure if done by an experienced surgeon.