Acutely slipped gastric band with gastric necrosis and massive haemorrhage

We present a case of acute gastric band slippage with gastric necrosis and massive haemoperitoneum necessitating an emergency surgery. The patient presented with an 8h history of dysphagia, vomiting and epigastric pain. Initial examination was unremarkable, but within 6h the patient suddenly deteriorated with a distended peritonitic abdomen. At laparotomy the patient was found to have gastric band slippage, a distended necrotic gastric pouch, a denuded spleen and a massive intraperitoneal haemorrhage of approximately 4l. A splenectomy was performed to control haemorrhage and sleeve gastrectomy to remove the necrotic pouch. The patient made an uneventful recovery. There are no reported cases of massive intraperitoneal haemorrhage or splenic involvement in cases of gastric band slippage. We believe that the gastric necrosis lead to short gastric and splenic vein thrombus and splenic outflow obstruction. This resulted in a subcapsular haematoma which subsequently ruptured causing acute deterioration.