Small Bowel Obstruction Secondary to Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band Connecting Tube Intertwinement Within the Mesentery: A Case Report

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a technique used for the surgical management of morbid obesity. This report illustrates the case of a 46-year-old African American woman who presented with a rare case of small bowel obstruction (SBO) two years post-LAGB placement. SBO, in this case, was a result of LAGB connecting tube intertwinement within the mesentery, accompanied by adhesions. The patient was diagnosed clinically and radiologically by computed tomography (CT) scan, which showed high-grade SBO. Initially, an exploratory laparoscopy was conducted, which soon transformed into an exploratory laparotomy when the cause of obstruction was seen to be the intertwinement of the connecting tube of the gastric band with the mesentery. With the rise of bariatric procedures to combat the epidemic of obesity in American society, this rare complication secondary to one of the most widely performed procedures beckons the attention of bariatric surgeons, emergency personnel, and device manufacturers.