Contraindications
- Cardiovascular or respiratory diseases so severe that the patient is incapable of being subjected to surgical anesthesia.
- Endocrine or congenital causes of obesity.
- History of alcoholism or drug addiction.
- Presence of moderate to profound mental retardation.
- Severe psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia or psychotic disorder).
- Advanced neoplastic disease.
- A previous history of traditional (open) abdominal surgery is no longer considered to be a contraindication to surgery; this also applies to the age of the patient: patients from 12 to 75yrs of age can be considered as candidates - as long as they meet the surgical criteria for the surgical procedure.