Endoscopic Management of Gastric Band Erosion: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Gastric band erosion may be seen in up to 3% of patients. Endoscopic intervention has become increasingly utilized due to its minimally invasive nature. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the role of endoscopic removal for eroded gastric bands. Methods: Individualized search strategies were developed for PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases in accordance with PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Outcomes included technical success, clinical success, procedure duration, adverse events, and surgical conversion. Pooled proportions were analyzed using random effects models. Heterogeneity and publication bias was assessed with I ² statistics and funnel plot asymmetry using Egger and Begg tests. Meta-regression was also performed comparing outcomes by endoscopic tools. Results: Ten studies (n=282 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Mean age was 40.68±7.25 years with average duration of band placement of 38.49±19.88 months. Pre-operative BMI was 42.76±1.06 kg/m² with BMI of 33.06±3.81 kg/m² at time of band erosion treatment. Endoscopic removal was attempted in 240/282 (85.11%) of cases. Pooled technical and clinical success of the endoscopic therapy was 86.08% (95% CI: 79.42–90.83; I ²=28.62%) and 85.34% (95% CI: 88.70–90.62; I ²=38.56%), respectively. Mean procedure time for endoscopic removal was 46.47±11.52 min with an intra-operative adverse event rate of 4.15% (95% CI: 1.98–8.51; I ²=0.00%). Post-procedure-associated adverse events occurred in 7.24% (CI: 4.46–11.55; I ²=0.00%) of patients. Conversion to laparotomy/laparoscopy occurred in 10.54% (95% CI: 6.12–17.54) of cases. Conclusion: Endoscopic intervention is a highly effective and safe modality for the treatment of gastric band erosion. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].