Lap Band Surgery - Lap Band Procedure and Device History

The first gastric band was patented in 1985 by Obtech Medical of Sweden (now owned by J&J/Ethicon Endo-Surgery) and is known as the Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB).

An American company, INAMED Health, later designed the BioEnterics® LAP-BAND ® Adjustable Gastric Banding System, which was introduced in Europe in 1993.

The Swedish band differed from the LAP-BAND in that it was not designed for use with keyhole surgery. Another difference was that the SAGB didn't have a self-closing mechanism and had to be sutured closed.

The LAP-BAND ® System received Food and Drug Administration approval for use in the United States in June 2001.

In 2000, the first lower pressure, wider and one piece adjustable gastric band, the MIDband®, was placed in Lyon, France. Unlike many of the early bands, the MIDband® was designed specifically for laparoscopic insertion. It has swiftly become one of the leading bands placed in France.

There are now at least eight adjustable band manufacturers.  Lap Band Surgery     Medifast Specials