A division of Johnson & Johnson manufactures the Realize Adjustable Gastric Band, also known as the Realize Band, for the purpose of promoting healthy and consistent weight loss in morbidly obese patients. The band is placed around the upper portion of the stomach using laparoscopic surgery. The minimally-invasive surgery, combined with the fact that the body's digestive system is not altered, makes the Realize band a popular choice for some bariatric patients.
A woman measures her stomach with measuring tape
History
The original Realize band was developed and launched by Obtech Medical of Switzerland in the 1980s. At that time, the band was placed around the stomach using open surgery, but as laparoscopic surgery evolved, the band itself was modified to allow for better placement using laparoscopic techniques. The band's patent was purchased by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a division of Johnson & Johnson, in 2002, and has been refined since then to improve both safety and performance. In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration approved the Realize Band for use in the United States.
Realize Band
The Realize Adjustable Gastric Band is unique in that it can be adjusted to increase or decrease the amount of restriction on the patient's stomach. More of a restriction reduces the amount of food the patient can eat, while less restriction allows the patient to eat more. When initially placed around the stomach during surgery, the band remains unfilled in order to allow the body to adjust to the band and recover from the surgery.
The Realize Band is made of flexible silicone, and its adjustable design allows it to accommodate various body sizes. The band is lined with a low pressure, smooth inner balloon that has a 360 degree fill capacity. The band's fill volume is 9cc, or 1.8 tsp.
Patient studies have shown that the Realize band has a slippage rate of less than 3 percent, and an erosion rate of less than 1 percent, according to bariatric.us, an online resource for bariatric surgery information.
Realize Band-C
The Realize Band-C features most of the components that make up the original Realize Band, with some added adjustment range and a wider width, which makes it suitable for use in larger patients and less likely to slip. Realize Band-C also offers some innovative features that make it easier to maneuver and place during surgery.
The Realize Band-C is also made out of strong, flexible silicone, and provides a fill capacity that is 14 percent greater than the original Realize Band's.
Realize Band-C was approved by the FDA in October 2008, and patient placements began in November 2008.
Benefits
Morbidly obese patients who opt for the Realize Band can expect to achieve weight loss that is safe, consistent and effective. Patients in three-year clinical trials lost a mean of 40 percent of excess weight in one year. Studies have shown that over 40 percent of patients resolve high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, 78 percent of patients see an improvement in cholesterol, and close to 95 percent of patients resolve obstructive sleep apnea, according to Realize.com, the manufacturer's website.
Risks
The Realize Band has the potential to cause complications during and after surgery. Band slippage, band erosion, port displacement and disconnection, band leakage, port-site infection, gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophageal spasms are all potential risks that must be considered if you are thinking about using the Realize Band, according to Realize.com. General bariatric and abdominal surgery risks include bleeding, pain, vomiting, nausea, stomach stretching, heart enlargement, infection, complications due to medication, heart attack, stroke and death.
Tags: Realize Band, Realize Band-C, Johnson Johnson, original Realize, percent patients