Realize Band and Lap Band - The Gastric Banding Battle

Until recently, having an adjustable gastric band implanted in the United States meant having a Lap-band. Today, however, there are two primary bands on the market, the Lap-band Advanced Platform (AP) system and the Realize Personalized Banding Solution. This new competition has manufacturers, surgeons and patients curious as to which band is really the better band. What are the differences between the two bands, and how will these differences affect you as a WLS patient?

The Bands

Both adjustable gastric bands work by creating two stomach pouches, a small upper one and a large lower one. The patient feels full more quickly because the upper pouch doesn’t leave as much room for food. In laparoscopic or “closed” surgery, the band is wrapped around the stomach like a belt, and a tiny tube leads from the band to a port that is implanted on the abdominal wall. After surgery, the doctor can adjust the tightness of the band by injecting saline into the port through the tube and into the band, thereby inflating the band so that it constricts a tiny amount....click here to read more.