REALIZE® Band Surgery
In the U.S. market, two types of adjustable gastric bands have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): REALIZE® Band and LAP-BAND®. They are both considered laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). The REALIZE® Adjustable Gastric Band obtained FDA approval in 2007. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding was first performed in 1994 and to date more than 600,000 procedures have been performed worldwide.
We perform both types of surgeries--LAP-BAND® and REALIZE® Band--in our facilities in San Francisco and Marin.
More than 20 years of worldwide clinical experience and ongoing research has shown that the REALIZE® Adjustable Gastric Band is a safe and effective weight loss tool. Outside the United States, the REALIZE® Band is known as the Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB), and has been used in patients since 1986.
How the REALIZE® Band Works
An adjustable band is placed around the top of the stomach like a belt, creating a 1-2 ounce pouch above the Realize band and narrowing the passageway into the stomach. A port implanted under the skin next to the belly button is used to inflate a balloon inside the band with saline, thereby narrowing the entry to the stomach and limiting the amount of food that can be consumed.
Ideal Candidate for REALIZE® Band Surgery
- Has BMI <50 kg/m2
- Wants to lose between 50-100 pounds
- Is not comfortable with stapling procedures
- Can maintain a post-operative diet <1,500 calories/day
Benefits of REALIZE® Band Surgery
- One-hour procedure and same day or next day hospital discharge
- Safest and least invasive procedure; fewer early risks than other procedures
- Fully reversible / removable
- Lowest risk of vitamin deficiencies
- Recovery time ranges from a few days to a few week
- Most insurance plans cover procedure
Considerations / Risks for REALIZE® Band Surgery
- Average excess weight loss is 50%
- Potential complications include band slippage, erosion, breakage, prolapse and infection
- 10-year removal or reoperation rate is approximately 25%
- Provides slower weight loss (1-2 pounds per week) than other procedures
- Appetite suppression and a comfortable feeling of fullness may be difficult to achieve
- Ineffective for resolving chronic, insulin-dependent diabetes
Banding Versus Stapling Procedures
Choosing a weight loss procedure can be a difficult decision. We offer both gastric banding (of which the REALIZE® Band is one type of surgery) and stapling procedures to meet the varying needs of our patients. Our medical team will assist in helping you make an informed decision based on:
- How much weight you need to lose
- Your health status, including diabetes and other metabolic-related conditions and their severity
- Your understanding and comfort level with the procedure and its associated risks
- Insurance or other financial considerations
- What kind of support you will need following surgery
Banding and stapling procedures are similar in some ways and differ dramatically in others. All bariatric procedures (including REALIZE® Band surgery) are done laparoscopically—a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses fewer than five small incisions and is associated with fewer complications, quicker recovery times and less visible scars.
About Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation
Consult a Top Bariatric Surgeon
Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, part of the Sutter Health network, offers bariatric surgery for weight loss. Our team performs surgery at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC). Procedures include gastric bypass, gastric banding with LAP-BAND® or REALIZE® and stomach stapling procedures. Our weight loss surgeon performs bariatric, gastroenterology and endocrine surgery on patients from San Francisco Bay Area cities including San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Oakland, Walnut Creek, and beyond.
San Francisco Weight Loss, GI & Endocrine Surgery Office (MAP)
1375 Sutter Street, Ste 208, San Francisco, CA 94109
Tel. 415-923-3200 Fax. 415-923-3205
Marin Weight Loss, GI & Endocrine Surgery Office
101 Rowland Way, Ste 220, Novato, CA 94595
Tel. 415-923-3200 Fax. 415-923-3205
