Fourteen morbidly obese teenagers who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding surgeries had lost an average of 20 pounds six months later, according to a study from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Though the Federal Drug Administration has approved such surgeries only for adults in the United States, this study was part of an FDA-approved inquiry into the safety and effectiveness of such surgeries in younger patients.

Dr. Ilene Fennoy, lead author of the study, said that she believes "banding surgery may offer the possibility of a new therapy for morbidly obese adolescents with medical complications" such as high levels of fat in their blood, high blood sugars, and poor liver function.

The surgeons who participated in the study put bands around the upper parts of the teenagers' stomachs to create small pouches that limit their food intake. A surgeon who has placed such a band in a patient can later adjust or remove it.

Stomach surgery for children and teens who are extremely overweight remains a controversial practice, in part because no one has documented the long-term effects of the procedure.

Labels: long_term_health_risks, long_term_weight_loss, obesity surgery