Vertical banded gastroplasty was performed on 19 grossly obese patients. Upper gastrointestinal contrast studies were performed on all patients in the immediate post-operative period and at 3 months and 1 year in 16 and 12 patients, respectively. The immediate and long-term appearances are presented and discussed. The surgical outcome depends on pouch size, outlet diameter and staple line integrity, which are reliably demonstrated by double-contrast barium studies.