Laparoscopic conversion of failed vertical banded gastroplasty to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion

The weight loss for RYGB and BPD was equal at 1 year but tended to be better for BPD at 3 years postoperatively. Laparoscopic conversion of failed VBG to RYGB or BPD was feasible, but it was followed by prohibitively high complication rates in BPD patients. The risk:benefit ratio of these procedures in this series is questionable.