ASGB Surgery
Laparoscopic gastric banding is a purely restrictive operation. The ASGB device
is a band with an inflatable balloon connected to a reservoir implanted underneath
the skin. There are two available devices. The Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band®
(Obtech Medical AG, Switzerland) is only available in Europe. The LAP-BAND®
system (BioEnterics Corporation, Carpentaria, CA) has been available in Europe,
Australia, and South America and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration
for use in the United States in June 2001.
The advantages of laparoscopic ASGB compared to laparoscopic gastric bypass include
a shorter operative time, relative ease of performance, no stapling or transection
of the stomach, the stoma size can be adjusted, and it is reversible. Disadvantages
of laparoscopic ASGB may include slower weight loss than the Gastric Bypass.