There are many types of adjustable gastric bands, but not all have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Gastric bands have different designs but provide the same basic function. A surgeon places a band across the upper portion of the stomach, creating a small upper stomach that empties into a larger lower pouch. Reducing food capacity usually leads to weight loss in morbidly obese patients. Physicians can adjust bands to alter stomach size or remove them entirely.
Lap-Band
Lap-Band is a trademarked bariatric band device manufactured by Allergan, a pharmaceutical company based in Irvine, California. In 2001, the Lap-Band device was approved by the FDA for use in the United States. The Lap-Band device is available in two sizes, which allows a surgeon to choose the option best for a patient's individual anatomy. In the October 2002 issue of "Obesity Surgery," Dr. Paul O'Brien says that the Lap-Band device offers safe and successful treatment for obesity. Dr. O'Brien is National Medical Director at the American Institute for Gastric Banding, located in Dallas, Texas.
Realize (Swedish) Band
The Swedish band has been used in Europe since 1998. In 2007, the FDA approved the device for use in the United States, where it is marketed as the Realize band and manufactured by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson Company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. According to the FDA review of a U.S. study of the Realize band, the average patient implanted with the Realize band lost 42 percent of her excess weight three years after surgery. Some patients lost over 75 percent.
Midband
The Midband made its debut in 2000 in France. As of 2010, the Midband is used throughout Europe and Latin America, but it is not available in the United States. It is manufactured by the Medical Innovation Development Company in France. In a study published in the May 2008 issue of "Obesity Surgery," Dr. Pierre Blanc noted that although the average patient lost 52 percent of excess weight, a longer look is needed to confirm the reliability of the Midband device.
References
- FDA: Lap-Band System
- "Obesity Surgery"; The Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band; Paul O'Brien, M.D.; October 2002
- FDA: Realize System
- "Obesity Surgery"; Preliminary Results of the Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Procedure by a New Generation of Silicone Band: MIDBAND; Pierre Blanc, M.D.; May 2008
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