Weight loss surgery in the U.S. has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Several factors contribute to this. For one thing, the surgical techniques and technology associated with bariatric weight-loss surgery have come quite a long way. So generally speaking, success rates are higher and recovery times are shorter.

The most recent development in this area has been the addition of another form of gastric banding surgery. Now, patients in the U.S. can choose between two popular products for their adjustable gastric banding procedures.

What is Adjustable Gastric Banding?

An Adjustable Gastric Band is a band that goes around the upper part of the stomach. It is inserted through small laparoscopic incisions, and when fully inserted it creates a small "pouch" in the upper stomach, thereby reducing the stomach's capacity (and the patient's capacity for food).

LAP-BAND System - The Existing Option

Patients in the U.S. have had access to the Lap-Band since it was approved by the FDA in 2001. When people mention the Lap Band, they are almost always referring to the LAP-BAND (r) System, which is a product developed by the BioEnterics Corporation, now part of Allergan.

As mentioned above, this type of gastric banding procedure uses an adjustable silicon band that is placed around the upper portion of the stomach. The band is inserted in laparoscopic fashion, which makes the surgery minimally invasive (as compared, for example, to a full gastric bypass surgery).

Realize Band - The New Option

As of September of 2007, there is a "new" option for gastric banding surgery in the United States. It's a product called the REALIZE (tm) Adjustable Gastric Band, and it is manufactured by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., which is a Johnson and Johnson company.

I call it a "new" product -- in quotation marks -- because the Realize Band has been available outside of the U.S. since 1996, though under a different product name. And according to the manufacturers, it has been used in more than 100,000 gastric banding surgeries worldwide.

More Options, More Considerations

When it comes to our health, it's always nice to have options. But with an increased number of options, there comes an increased need for research and consideration. People considering a gastric banding procedure should look into all of their options thoroughly, and make a decision based on facts and research.

Brandon Cornett is the publisher of Bariatric City, an online resource that provides bariatric surgery information specific to certain cities across the U.S. (such as this latest guide to Austin bariatric procedures). Learn more about weight loss surgery at http://www.bariatriclearningcenter.com/city