are there different types of bands?

phenry · October 1, 2006

I am researching lapband surgery. Are there different types of bands? I have noticed some are called Inamed and I found one called BioEnterics. Is there a difference? Is one better than the other? I noticed on the BioEntrics, a saline solution is used for the fills where as others refer to a flouro fill? Can someone clear this up for me? On the US doctors thread, the doc in Colorado that charges 10,000 for a self pay surgery uses the BioEnterics system. Is this inferior and therefore cheaper? HELP!!!!

TexasTerry · October 1, 2006

As I understand it, Bioenterics is the old company name for Inamed. It now is a part of Allergan. This is the only FDA approved band in the USA. There are other bands in use in other countries. The Inamed band comes in different sizes. I have the larger band, called the VanGuard or VG for short. It is still an Inamed band.

Saline is used to fill the band. It's sort of like a little innertube around your stomach - thats a real simplistic way to put it. When filling the band some doctors use Fluoroscopy - it is a type of "moving" x-ray. It's real time picture of your insides. The saline is injected by a port that has been surgically placed under your abdominal wall. You have to drink a barium mixture and the doc can watch how it empties into your stomach. If there is too much saline, there is no barium flowing into the stomach. If too little you have no restriction. So, there is some know-how to getting it right.

The port itself will show up on x-ray. This helps the doc find the right spot to put the needle in your skin. That way you don't end up being a pin cushion. Some peoples port are apparantly harder to find under their skin that others. If properly done, the fill needle does not hurt. No more sting than a mosquito bite.

Hope this helps. Others may post that can explain it better.

Terry:)

phenry · October 1, 2006

Thanks Terry! That was a great explanation and sure was helpful! There is so much to learn and so much to research. I have found this website to be very helpful.