Importance

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Abstract

A reversible gastric banding device for creating a stoma opening in the stomach for restricting food intake into the lower digestive portion of the stomach. The band is operatively placed to encircle the stomach. Once in position, it is held securely with sutures on the outside of the stomach thereby prohibiting the encircled stoma opening from expanding. If, following implantation, it becomes necessary or desirable to remove the gastric band, a remotely actuated releasing portion permits the removal of the gastric band without major surgery. In one embodiment, the banding device is conveniently removed by means of a retractable blade within the band which blade, when retracted by remote activation, severs the retaining sutures and frees the band for removal. In addition to having a remotely actuated releasing portion, most preferred embodiments of the device includes a flexible substantially non-extensible band portion having an expandable, balloon-like section that is in fluid communication with a remote injection site. The expandable section is used to adjust the size of the stoma opening.

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First Claim