Gastric band

Abstract

A gastric band of a belt type is presented for attaching around a circumference of a patient's stomach, so as to define the diameter of the stomach opening. The band comprises outer and inner surfaces, wherein the inner surface engages the stomach, and at least the outer surface is formed by an elongated member substantially non-extendable along a longitudinal axis thereof. A through-going opening is made in the elongated member and is located so as to define an end portion of the band having a predetermined length. An opposite end portion of the band is shaped so as to be insertable into the through-going opening for adjusting a desired inner diameter of the band in its closed operating position and fastening the opposite end portion to the outer surface of the band.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 457,233 filed on Jun. 4, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 755,408 filed on Jan. 13, 2004, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 526,757 filed on Mar. 16, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,674, which claims the benefit of priority of Israel Patent Application No. 129032 filed on Mar. 17, 1999. The contents of the above applications are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to a gastric banding device that encircles a portion of the stomach to form a stoma opening of reduced diameter.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Morbid obesity is associated with medical risks in terms of the development of additional diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiac insufficiency and other socio-psychological problems, overall reducing life expectancy. Dietary management, psych...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The gastric band safely and effectively reduces stomach opening diameter, allowing for adjustable food intake while being easily detectable for further surgical intervention, minimizing the risk of complications like gastric ulcers and intestinal blockage.

Problems solved by technology

Morbid obesity is associated with medical risks in terms of the development of additional diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiac insufficiency and other socio-psychological problems, overall reducing life expectancy.

Dietary management, psychiatric or dietary regiments are the first choice for treating morbid obesity, but as they depend on the goodwill of the patient, especially in the long run, these approaches often fail.

However the latter approach, stapling, may not bring the desired results due to the fact that the staples frequently open or tend to cause perforations.

Such a device displaces volume inside the stomach, thereby reducing the effective free volume of the gastric portion causing the individual to feel no need for additional food intake.

However, this procedure although being physically easy to implement and basically being non-surgical, may lead to harmful results.

The inflated balloon in the stomach is in constant contact with gastric mucous, and such contact for an extended period of time may give rise to gastric ulcers and intestinal blockage.

A gastric band is placed around the upper part of the stomach, thereby creating an altered stomach opening of a reduced diameter, resulting in the restriction of food intake into the digestive portion of the stomach.

However, this band has no means for adjusting its diameter to obtain the optimal diameter of the stomach opening.

Although this gastric band can retain the predetermined diameter of the stomach opening, obtaining of the proper opening is somewhat problematic.

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