Realize band

[pontomimi 0]

My doc used a Realize bands and didn't even tell me!

[Trace Curry 1]

I'd like to throw my 2 cents in here, I'm a proctor for both Lap Band and Realize Band and have a pretty good feel for both products:

1. J&J does not pay surgeons $10,000 per month per surgeon to advertise their band. They have a cooperative marketing campaign where surgeons can co-promote their practice along with the Realize band and J&J will pay 45% of the cost up to a total of $10,000 per surgeon total, not per month. Allergan has had 2 programs just like this in the past.

2. The FDA trial for the Lap Band showed less than 40% excess weight loss as compared to 42% or so for the J&J band. There is probably no statistical difference between the two. You can't compare a "best of" study like Dr. Ponce's to an FDA trial, which includes both experienced and inexperienced band surgeons. In fact if you isolate out the best center in the FDA Realize trial it was around 60% excess body weight loss to my recollection.

3. The most recent data comparing the two bands was a meta-analysis comprising thousands of patients. It basically showed equivalent weight loss and complication rates between the two.

I certainly would not offer both products if I did not think they were both safe and clinically effective.

Trace W. Curry, M.D.

Lap Band and Realize Band surgeon

Cincinnati, Ohio

Trace W. Curry, M.D. Lap Band, Realize Band, Sleeve Gastrectomy, and Gastric Bypass Surgeon :: Home

513.559.1222 / 877.442.BAND

DISCLAIMER: Any information contained within is meant to be general medical advice only. Please consult your surgeon on your specific problem!

[Turler 6]

Thank you DrC for your reply.

What criteria does a patient need to have for you to choose one band over the other?

~Carol

[c7777christine 1]

Thank you Dr.!!! I just talked to mine who offers both. He prefers J and J, but likes Allergan too. He actually gets paid by Allergan and not J and J so now I feel better. He also has never heard of the band being a triangle shape. Like my Dr. says it is a tool, work it to the best of your ability. I'm not going to get freaked out by people's opinions, just follow what info I've been given. His patients have all lost weight but a lot depends on how well they follow the program. I'm down 15 pounds without a fill yet. So go Johnson and Johnson!!!!!!

[Ellisa 6]

Thank you Dr. Curry. I really didn't expect that you'd actually have the time to check this out and reply to the post. But I appreciate that you did. I actually hated to bother you with such a convoluted post but I appreciate that you've set matters straight. I saw and handled both bands and read the literature that you give your patients. I did not feel pressured to choose one over the other. And certainly did not lose confidence in you or my choice.

[MamaJava 1]

your doctor is wrong- there is absolutely NO data stating the results are better and there are less difficulties - it sounds like he is being paid by Johnson and Johnson - Otherwise it really makes no sense to put in 14 year old technology band in a patient when Inamed is selling a Third Generation product. The new studies show LapBand has a 62% excess weight loss at 3 years - the Realize has 43% so Im curious as to where he is getting his info from. Just because he is a surgeon don't think he can't be paid off. The Doctor on Realize's website Dr. Ponce did the study for Inamed which proves their band has higher weight loss yet he switched to the Realize band because they paid him off. The only surgeon using the Realize Band are hacks or guys on the take.

Oh...I see. So the ONLY surgeons using the Realize band are hacks or guys on the take? So you know every surgeon in the Nation? In the world? The Realize has a fantastic success rate. It's been used for years upon years overseas. It's just renamed over here. The Realize band is a complete circular band. So it has creases and that makes it more prone to erosion? You really need to redo your research. My doc is a proctor. He's NOT getting paid by J & J...the other 3 docs in the practice still offer their patients a choice. My doc refuses to offer a choice. The wider band covers a larger surface area of the stomach (PROVEN, by the way) and this has shown to cause less slips, and to REDUCE the instances of band erosion. Weren't they called Swedish bands or something overseas for all those years? They are standing the test of time...they aren't being tossed aside and replaced like the lap bands and Allergen bands are. That is peace of mind for me.

So you can degrade the Realize bands around here as much as you want. Your stats and info are bogus and your reasoning is bunk. You can believe what you want and you can run around flailing your arms and screaming about conspiracy theories and buyouts and payoffs all you want...it just makes you look bloody pathetic. If anything, I think you are the one being paid to bash the Realize bands. It really doesn't matter what you say. My surgeon is one of the highest ranked and successful band surgeons in the United States. He's a proctor. I'll trust his knowledge, education, success and expertise over your silly little rant and unsupported "facts" any old day of the week.

[lsuza 0]

Let me ask you a question? What shape is your stomach? its round correct? so you want the band to go AROUND your stomach for the proper fit so you feel full. The Realize Band is NOT round - it blows up to the shape of a very distorted triangle and does not fit itself to your stomach.

Ok let me sum up the differences:

Realize Band = 1 reservoir , Not pre-curved, cannot fill it past 9cc or it may break, stomach has to adjust itself to the band, blows up to a triangle and creases on itself, must be put in empty so you get little results until the first pre-fill and does not have even distribution of Fluid, 43% weight loss at 36 months, twice the size scar if the port appliciator is used, 100,000 implants, Health Canada (Canadian FDA) sent a letter to all surgeons telling them NOT to use the Realize band because of Erosion, First Generation Product

LapBand AP - 7 mini reservoirs, no creases or folds, adjusts itself to the stomach, can be implanted with 3-4cc of Fluid to jump start your weight loss, even distribution of fluid, regular or low profile ports, 62% weight loss at 36 months, comes in 2 sizes and is virtually unbreakable, 350,000 implants, custom fits itself to your anatomy, available in to 2 sizes so everyone gets a perfect fit, Third Generation Product

The port tacker does not work well - re-operation rates increased 15% once they introduced that device in their clinical trials- plus, who wants a larger scar?

Hopefully now you are getting it.

[lsuza 0]

Success rate?

1)You call a 43% excess weight loss at 36 months with expert surgeons a success? You need to investigate- and further,

2)The largest or widest band available is NOT the Realize, its the LapBand APL 14cc vs 9cc. also their backing is wider, not the bladder.

3) If your doctor is a proctor - he is getting paid $5,000 per proctoring event and $10,000 per month for advertising from J&J - they offered my doc the same deal and she refused because it' an inferior prodcut. And trust me- she could use anything she wants.

4) If the Realize Band has such great success - please explain why 35 of 36 bands implanted in Canada had to be EXPLANTED. This was such a problem the Canadian FDA sent a letter to doctors asking them not to use it. You can try and make yourself feel better and rationalize it but your doctor did you an injustice by not giving you all the facts and information- don't be mad at me - be mad at him

Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band: erosion and other reported incidents leading to explantation

The Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB) is an implantable, adjustable gastric band indicated for use in the treatment of morbid obesity in adults.1 It consists of a reinforced silicone gastric band fitted around the stomach and an injection port placed under the skin and connected to the band by tubing. The SAGB is designed to reduce food intake and can be inflated or deflated as needed after implantation to meet weight-loss requirements without the need for further surgery. The SAGB was originally licensed for sale in Canada in November 2002. A modified version of the device, the SAGB Quick Close (SAGB-QC), was added to the licence as part of a device licence amendment in August 2004.2

Although band erosion is listed among the possible adverse events in the device labelling for physicians,2 the device labelling for patients states that the overall rate of reoperation following placement of the SAGB is low and that extensive use of the SAGB has led to a method where failure is uncommon.3 By definition, band erosion is "a situation where a part of the band has eroded through the full-thickness gastric wall and migrated into the lumen."4 This represents a total failure of the gastric banding procedure.5

From Nov. 1, 2002, to June 15, 2007, Health Canada received 19 reports of incidents suspected of being associated with the SAGB and 17 with the SAGB-QC. Thirteen of the 36 reports described cases of band erosion necessitating removal of the band. Other reports described incidents such as band slippage, band leakage, abscess, dysphagia and regurgitation. In 35 of the 36 reports, band explantation was reported as an outcome.

Although reported rates of band erosion vary across published studies, evidence in the medical literature suggests that the frequency of band erosion is approximately linear over time following surgery, with erosions still being diagnosed 5 or more years after implantation.4 5 Since band erosion is often asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic initially and since the condition is best diagnosed by gastroscopy, which may not be included in the follow-up of asymptomatic patients, the true incidence of band erosion is underestimated in the literature and its diagnosis can be markedly delayed.4 5 Moreover, band erosion is associated with dense scarring and distortion of tissues, which can complicate revision procedures.5

The complication rates and outcomes associated with SAGB and reported in the literature are variable. Although the authors of some studies have concluded that use of the SAGB demonstrates acceptable levels of safety and effectiveness,6 7 others have reported high long-term complication and failure rates and poor long-term outcomes.4 5 The medical literature suggests that, until reliable selection criteria for patients at low risk for long-term complications are determined, alternative treatment options should be considered and gastric banding should be performed only in carefully selected and fully informed patients.5

Andrew Gaffen, BSc, DDS; Gina Coleman, MD; Health Canada

References

Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band [Canadian instructions for use]. Baar (SWI): Obtech Medical AG; 2000.

Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band Quick Close [Canadian instructions for use]. Zug (SWI): Ethicon Endo-Surgery in cooperation with Obtech Medical AG; 2003.

Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band Quick Close [Canadian patient manual]. Zug (SWI): Ethicon Endo-Surgery in cooperation with Obtech Medical AG; 2003.

Gustavsson S, Westling A. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: complications and side effects responsible for the poor long-term outcome. Semin Laparosc Surg 2002;9(2):115-24. [ PubMed]

Suter M, Calmes JM, Paroz A, et al. A 10-year experience with laparoscopic gastric banding for morbid obesity: high long-term complication and failure rates. Obes Surg 2006;16(7):829-35. [ PubMed]

Steffen R, Biertho L, Ricklin T, et al. Laparoscopic Swedish adjustable gastric banding: a five-year prospective study. Obes Surg 2003;13(3):404-11. [ PubMed]

Zehetner J, Holzinger F, Tiraca H, et al. A 6-year experience with the Swedish adjustable gastric band. Prospective long-term audit of laparoscopic gastric banding. Surg Endosc 2005;19(1):21-8. [ PubMed]

[lsuza 0]

and further - I can support every fact I state with Clinical evidence - send me a private message and I will email FDA approved clinical data backing up everything I am saying - its not my opinion- these are facts

[lsuza 0]

OK let me end this once and for all since there are some people who don't believe me- you wanna see a triangle shaped band with creases and folds which leads to band erosion - take a look at this video

[Ellisa 6]

Realize Band Laparoscopic Procedure - REALIZEBand.com Please check out the photo in this web site and you'll see that what's in MY body is NOT what's on You-Tube. Look at the port and the band.

[NukeChik 1]

Redstar,

You quote the statistic 35 out of 36 bands had to be explanted, but you don't quote the number that was originally placed. There were 36 problem bands from 2002 till 2007. I'm sorry but I refuse to accept that only 36 bands were placed in 5 years in Canada. I think if you presented all the information we would see that the statistics are actually a lot different. I think you are picking and choosing the negative aspects.

BTW, Dr Ponce is my surgeon. He is NOT exclusively doing Realize Band. He picks the best fit for each patient.

[Banded14yr 2]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sure going to trust what Dr. Curry has to say who is an experienced Bariatric Surgeon over some med student with a bee up his bonet.

Enough said....

[MamaJava 1]

Obviously redstarr completely ignored the post by the doctor responding to and disputing all of this freak's claims. What has peed in your Cheerios that has made you such an angry person? I also have seen an inflated Realize band and it doesn't look anything like what you are describing. I've held one. I've inspected one. I've seen it inflated, I've seen it not inflated. We obviously live on different planets. Go on about your own business and stop this absurd and obnoxious vendetta you have against Johnson & Johnson. You are really acting like some crazy person.

[lsuza 0]

Elisa: That IS the exact band you have in you because it's the only one available - The other model not available in the US yet is the VC which the same band precurved. Not certain about the port other tahn it is wider than Allergans and you will have a bigger scar of you use the port applicator. That animation is not an accurate illustration of the band cause they are not showing you the creases and folds. DONT take my word for it- ask the doctor to fill up a sample Realize band and see for yourself how its creased and folded.