Background: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a proven method for achieving long-term weight loss, but there has been controversy regarding how pay status impacts outcomes after surgery.
Objectives: To compare outcomes of LAGB with respect to percentage excess weight loss (%EWL), perioperative complications, and number of band adjustments between insured and self-financed patients.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of data (n=108) including demographics, comorbidities, operative complications, and %EWL for 5 years postsurgery.
Results: There were no demographic differences between the Insured Group and the Self-financed Group, except mean preoperative BMI (P=0.049). There were no complications reported and no differences in %EWL between the groups.
Conclusions: This is the first study assessing outcomes and complication rates with respect to pay status in an outpatient surgery center bariatric patient population. These results demonstrate that self-financed patients did not achieve greater weight loss compared with privately insured patients undergoing LAGB.