I am scheduled to have surgery on October 11. Presently the surgeon is using an 11cm band. Prior to this, the band size used was a 4cm I believe. Does anyone have any information on the band sizes and benefits vs drawbacks of both the small and large size bands? Or does it even make any difference at all?

They come in sizes????

Learn something new every day.

Okay ladies...here's what I know and if it's wrong, someone please correct me.

Inamed bands come in several sizes.

The 9.75cm band holds 4cc of saline

The 10cm band also hold 4cc of saline

The 11cm band is apparently not used in the US and I don't know the saline capacity?

The VanGuard band holds 11ccs of saline, which makes me wonder if there really is an 11cm band and maybe someone got the 11cc and 11cm mixed up?

Your doc decides the size when he/she gets inside and sees your anatomy. Doc wants the best fit for your tummy so they can't really tell until they get in there. My doc has each size handy in the OR. I'm sure the rest of the docs do the same thing.

Hope that helps!

And remember, you have the band length, measured in Centimeters (cm) and the saline capacity, measured in cc's (for the life of me I don't remember what cc stands for so when someone posts this info I'll feel kinda dumb, I'm sure).

I have the larger band and find that I was hungry after surgery until my body got used to taking in less calories. I am able to get in all the water I need to. I find that I need to be more disciplined than those with the smaller band.

I have the smaller band..I have 1.5 cc's in my band and have good restriction, the only thing I have heard from others who have the larger band is it take more fills to get restriction then with the smaller band. DO not know any other pros or cons with the larger band vs the smaller band.

I have the Vanguard band, but haven't had my first fill yet. Dr. B said he went with a larger band, because even though I am short...I had a big stomach...oh now there was a news flash!

My doctor said "I fitted you with the smaller band because you are doing so good in your weight loss"... I had lost a lot of weight prior to the surgery.

So maybe that means that if you are smaller in there, you get a smaller band.

My doctor decides once he gets into your stomach to make the decision, he said I only needed the 9.75cc band because my stomach wasn't that big. I am currently restricted at 1.65cc but could probably use just a tad more. My weight loss has slowed down, we will see at my next appointment the end of October if I need more fill.

Yes size matters :guess

My doctor also fitted me with the smaller band (I didn't ask him after surgery but I go for a follow up tomorrow and will find out) I'm not sure if it is the 9.75 cm or the 10 cm but they both only hold 4cc. He commented to my Mom after surgery that I had done great with the preop weight loss so he was able to place the smaller band (he did my gallbladder about 3.5 weeks before my band so he got a preview of my insides and said my liver was large at that time but much improved when he went to do the band). Amazing what 25 lbs will do.

Make sure your doc fits you with the band that is best for you - he should say this is the band your getting before he looks at your insides (he should have all three with him in the OR)

Good luck,

I'm having my surgery Monday and my doctor has already told me I'll be getting the SAGB 10ml. He showed me pictures to explain why he preferred that one and basically it was due to the clip being 'away' from the band (not part of the round bit) and the balloon goes all the way around the inside. It seems some don't from what he said.

I also read somewhere else, that some surgeons prefer the larger bands as it is easier to adjusts fills in larger amounts...not tiny amounts.

I don't know...I just want this band NOW...any band LOL

doesn't matter always the size? sorry for being little naughty :)

my band holds 11 cc of saline, dunno the size of the band.

mine holds 4 cc's and is the 9.75 - don't know why he chose that one - but I do know that my aftercare Dr. here in the states at first had a little trouble finding my port because he said due to the small band - he said I don't know why the Mexican Dr's prefer the small bands - but that was the only thing he ever said and he hasn't had any difficulty locating my port after the initial one.

i believe that the companies that producing the band have co-operation with the doctors, and economical dealings! i think also that they "sell" the band very expensive

and the doctors take some extra money from the companies..

i believe that the companies that producing the band have co-operation with the doctors, and economical dealings! i think also that they "sell" the band very expensive

and the doctors take some extra money from the companies..

My itemised quote for my band had the band itself at $4000 aud. That's alot but I suppose alot of research etc goes into it. I'm covered for all of that but I would never have guessed the band itself would cost so much...more than the surgery. I'm sure there is alot of 'selling' involved just like prescribed drugs.

Is there a doctor in the house that can explain this to us? I will be banded Oct 25th and after reading several posts, I have come to the conclusion that I would prefer the smaller band if I have that choice. My observations from reading these posts over time is that the smaller band provides more adequate & sufficient restriction & less trips to the fill doc. My fill doc is in Mexico, so the scheduling & $ to get there could get costly. The other good question asked by someone earlier is how crucial is the preop dieting related to the size of the band?