To assess the validity and cost of early routine upper gastrointestinal (UGI) studies after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) at a university hospital in the United States. Today, although there is widespread use of LAGB, and it is considered a safe procedure, it also can result in some specific early complications. In most centers, an UGI series after bariatric surgery is performed to rule out these potentially dangerous complications.