Staple-line Disruptions in Vertical Banded Gastroplasty Related to Different Stapling Techniques

We performed one or more upper G.I. barium single-contrast studies on 125 out of 166 Mason vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) operated patients (total: 226 X-ray examinations during a 3 month-10 year postoperative period). Forty four patients had a staple-line performed by double application of a 2-row stapler with manual reinforcement (group 1); 12 had a single application of a 4-row stapler with reinforcement (group 2); the last 69 patients had a partition with a 4-row stapler without reinforcement (group 3). A staple-line disruption was observed in 34 cases (27.2%); 17/44 (38.6%) cases belong to group 1, 6/12 cases (50%) to group 2 and 11/69 cases (15.9%) to group 3. The range of breakdowns diameter was 2-30 mm (nine cases double, one case quadruple). In 16 out of 34 cases we observed a preferential contrast pathway through the perforations. In 23 cases we noted a weight regain and in one case an initial failure on weight loss; in 12 cases the excess weight loss (EWL) was less than 30%. In group 3, we found two tiny perforations at the top of the partition, but another nine along with the staple-lines. In our experience, staple line disruptions are only reduced using the 4-row stapler without reinforcement; even with this stapling technique late breakdowns along the staple-line, not only at the apex of the partition, can occur.