I was curious of the type of band I had so emailed my dietitian (I thought it was the Hage heard it mentioned when I had my firest fill) but wanted to double check seeing I was doing a bit of research..

Hear is part of her reply...

Hi Marion

You have the HAGE band which is the smaller of the 2 Heliogast Bands. It has a 7ml capacity for fluid fills but we don't usually go to this level with any patients unless we are trying to establish if there is a leak in the 'system'.

I read the notes after Julie saw you yesterday so congratulations on going along so well. I'm glad you are getting into the exercise early on and not just relying on the band as it won't work on its own. Good food selection is the other area all patients must be aware of - but not in the sense of 'dieting' like you may have done in pre-band days.

P.SThen I did a little research on Bands ..

:smile2:

LAPAROSCOPIC ADJUSTABLE GASTRIC BANDING:

SLIPPAGE RATES OF HELIOSCOPIE HAGA™ VS

HAGE™ BANDS

Dr. Harry Quach, Victorian and Sydney Obesity Surgery Centre

Aim

Band slippages are the most common problem arising from LAGB requiring reoperation.

We sought to see if using a gastric band with a smaller inner diameter (ie.

HAGE™) would reduce the slippage rate.

Method

LAGB was performed on 486 patients between 5 Jan 2005 and 24 May 2007. All

bands were placed by the same surgeon using the HELIOSCOPIE HAGA™ and

HAGE™ bands via the pars fl accida approach. Between 5 Jan 2005 to 25 March 2006,

HAGA bands (with 27mm inner diameter) were used exclusively. After this period,

HAGE bands (with 26mm inner diameter) were placed routinely for all females. No

HAGE bands were placed in males because of concerns that the band would be too

tight. A total of 330 (68%) HAGA bands and 156 (32%) HAGE bands were placed.

Results

29 band slippages (5.96%) occurred with the HAGA band while only one slip (0.2%)

occurred with the HAGE band. All slippages occurred in female patients except

one. 80% of slippages occurred in those with BMI between 30 to 50. Band slippage

occurred varyingly at from 6 months to 23 months post-operatively.

Conclusion

Gastric bands with a smaller inner diameter produce a more snug fi t around the

proximal stomach. Such smaller bands (eg. HAGE™) have resulted in minimal

slippages so far. Smaller bands should be used routinely on females

No accurate number of adjustments required can be given. However, an average may be estimated to be between three and five fills (where saline/isotonic solution is inserted into the band via the subcutaneous port) for a person to reach the optimal restriction for weight loss. The amount of saline/isotonic solution needed in the band varies from patient to patient. There are a small number of people who find they do not need a fill at all and have sufficient restriction immediately following surgery. Others may need significant adjustments to the maximum the band is able to hold. Bands come in several diameters and sizes and can hold a total of between 4 cc (ml) to 12 cc (ml) of fill fluid depending on the design. Band size is usually determined by personal preference of the surgeon who places the band together with what s/he is either able to use (e.g., specific bands approved in country of surgery) or what s/he believes to be the most appropriate. In Europe, for example, it is possible for the surgeon to use many designs. The size of the band used is determined by the surgeon during surgery based on the size and thickness of the patient's stomach.

It is more common practice for the band not to be filled at surgery—although some surgeons choose to place a small amount in the band at the time of surgery. The stomach tends to swell following surgery and it is possible that too great a restriction would be achieved if filled at that time. Clearly, this is undesirable.

Edited May 13, 201016 yr by Majj

Hi Majj, In the US the most used is "The Lap Band System" it's copyrighted brand. It's USDA approved and covered by most insurance companies. There is a new one called "The Realize Band". Not sure if it's recognized or approved yet? Have a GREAT weekend!! Carol D'

Oh Thanks carol ..so I am guessing NO ONE in the USA will have the type of band I have.... :w00t:

Types of adjustable bands

In the US market, two types of adjustable gastric bands have been approved by the FDA: Realize Band and Lap Band. The Lap Band System (Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA) obtained FDA approval in 2001[16]. The device comes in five different sizes and has undergone modification over the years. The latest models, the Lap-Band AP-L and Lap-Band AP-S, feature a standardized injection port sutured into the skin and fill volumes of 14 mL and 10 mL respectively[17].

The Realize Adjustable Gastric Band (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH) obtained FDA approval in 2007[18]. Realize Band-C has a 14% greater adjustment range than the Realize Band. But both the Realize Band and Realize Band-C are one-size-fits-all. The device differentiates itself from the Lap Band AP series through its sutureless injection port installation and larger range of isostatic adjustments. The maximum fill volume for the Realize Band is 9mL, while the newer Realize Band-C has a maximum fill capacity of 11mL. Both fill volumes fall within a low pressure range to prevent discomfort or strain to the band[19].

Two other adjustable gastric bands are in use outside of the United States: Heliogast and Midband. Neither band has been approved by the FDA. The Midband (Médical Innovation Développement, Limonest, France) was the first to market in 2000[20]. In order to preserve the gastric wall in event of rubbing, the device contains no sharp edges or irregularities. It is also opaque to x-rays, making it easy to locate and adjust[21].

The Heliogast band (Helioscopie, Rhône-Alpes, France) entered the market in 2003. The device features a streamlined band to ease insertion during the operation[22].

Do you know what Band you are getting ..???

After my surgery I was given a card to carry in my wallet with band type size and date of op.They also told most restaurants honor it if you need proof to get a childs meal.

Mine is Allergans last lapband called Omiform 14cc. My total cc's right now is 6.5cc. I read Allergan studies of the tests they used during lab results. My sister works for Allergan in Santa Barbara, Ca.

They recently sold the Lapband to another company. But will continue to work with the new company as upgrades occur.

Best wishes

Mine is a 10cc realize band

Mine is Allergan 10cc. Banded Aug 31, 2015