Which band 10 or 4?

[RogerF]

I just got my paperwork for banding on the 8th. I saw a line that said the 10cm band is routinely used.

Is this the common practice now? I haven't seen much about the differences between them or when this would be required. Does it make a difference?

Roger

[Chelley]

I'd recommend that you do research on the sizes of bands and discuss with your surgeon which band they may place for you. I never anticipated having the larger VG band which holds a max fill of 10cc. My starting weight was 227.5 and I was 215lbs on the day of surgery. Dr. Ortiz placed the VG band because the majority of my weight is carried in my abdomen and it made for a safer, easier placement. I wasn't every educated on this VG band which is typically used for morbidly obsese patients. I never considered that I would have one. My lack of education on this size of band did cause me some distress, especially when I'd gotten two fills and had no restriction. I later found out that it sometimes takes up to 3cc of fill just to prime the VG band. I thought my band was leaking! The decision of which size of band to place is up to your surgeon. Communicate with your doctor pre-operatively and ask which option is best for you. Chelley

[ClaireinCO]

Chelly, can you reccomend any links for researching the different size bands? I think your experience is so valuable to share. There is a woman I know who was banded locally and she is having fears of a leaking band because she has had many fills with restriction. It sounds like she may just have the VG. I'm going to copy/paste your last message to her if that's ok.

[ClaireinCO]

I found a few things I thought I'd post. Here is a picture of the vanguard band compared to the lower capacity band.

http://www.core.monash.org/placement.html

And some info from another site:

There are two issues here:

1) Band size

2) Fill volume

There are three sizes of Inamed Lap Bands. As I understand it, the size refers to the inner diameter of the band.

The 3 band sizes as per Inamed are 9.75 cm, 10.0 cm, and the VG (the Vanguard, which I believe is 11cm, but all the reps call it VG, no-one calls it the '11')

Fill volume:

The 9.75 and 10 cm bands can hold a maximum of about 4cc of saline.

The VG holds a max of about 10 cc of saline.

In medical circles I've always heard the Lap Band referred to by its size. For example, today in the OR we used "two 10's and one 9.75."

[cutieKel]

Claire,

Thanks for the link with the examples of both bands. Thought it was really interesting to see.

[RogerF]

Thanks Claire,

Now that I look closer, in the materials it states a 10 "cm" band is routinely used. This looks like it is still a 4 "cc" band".

[Chelley]

I did my research on the Inamed lapband website. I wish there was more information about the VG band. The band size is made at the discretion of your physician depending on several factors. I would definately recommend that you discuss this pre-operatively with your doctor. As I've mentioned on this forum before, I never considered I would have a VG band based upon my weight, but as I've learned that is not the only factor. I'm an apple shape with the majority of my weight around my middle. Dr. Ortiz felt the VG band was more suitable because of the fat distribution around my stomach. Chelley

[Halobabe]

I'd recommend that you do research on the sizes of bands and discuss with your surgeon which band they may place for you. I never anticipated having the larger VG band which holds a max fill of 10cc. My starting weight was 227.5 and I was 215lbs on the day of surgery. Dr. Ortiz placed the VG band because the majority of my weight is carried in my abdomen and it made for a safer, easier placement. I wasn't every educated on this VG band which is typically used for morbidly obsese patients. I never considered that I would have one. My lack of education on this size of band did cause me some distress, especially when I'd gotten two fills and had no restriction. I later found out that it sometimes takes up to 3cc of fill just to prime the VG band. I thought my band was leaking! The decision of which size of band to place is up to your surgeon. Communicate with your doctor pre-operatively and ask which option is best for you. Chelley

The same thing happened to me. I am lower BMI of 35, apple shaped, and received the VG 10cc. band. I went for my first fill last Friday ($300 for first visit & fill) and my aftercare doctor couldn't believe that I had a 10cc. VG band! He gave me a 5cc. adjustment but said it would probably take 2 or 3 more fills before I felt ANY restriction at all! I am getting very discouraged, as I still have NO restriction at all. $10,000 later. I am REALLY anxious to start losing weight! Ugh! I've only lost 8 lbs and that was in the beginning in the first 10 days when I was on liquids and was still swollen and had 'some' restriction. I am getting discouraged and running out of money! I am maintaining only because I am dieting...which we all know stinks!...and not the reason I got the band. I don't want to feel hungry and I want to feel FULL after eating a small amount!

Karen MT from Kentucky

7/25/06 placement Ortiz in TJ

8/25/06 5cc. fill Dr. Curry Cincinnati, OH

[ClaireinCO]

I don't know this for sure, but from what I've read on other boards, the reason the VG band has become so popular is that the nature of the chambers vs. the smooth tubing of the other sized bands, means there is less contact withthe stomach, and less erosion.

So maybe that is the silver lining? I'm preparing for a VG. I imagine I won't have much say in the matter. BUt I will try to request the smaller band.

[LoriBecky]

Hi all,

The 4cc band is the 10cm band. The larger, VG band, holds 10cc's and is 14cm long. Dr. Ortiz uses the 4cc band for most patients. For those with a higher BMI, or for those that carry more weight around their mid-section, Dr. Ortiz may use the larger VG Band (10cc). Sometimes he makes that decision while you are in surgery, but you will be informed if anything other than the standard 4cc band is used.

I hope that helps.

[ClaireinCO]

I hope that helps.

Totally. I was just about to ask you! Thanks for the info.

[Daniel]

11 days ago, I had my VG band removed because it leaked. I had it replaced with the smaller size band.

The doctor told me the VG band is for larger people and I was border line on the initial surgery, but I heard also the VG band leaks more than any other band... because of the larger surface area against the stomach lining.

I had my initial VG band installed 2 years ago, and it took a while to verfiy the leak and try to eliminate if the leak was in the port.

1 year ago, the doctor (in Colorado) did a local ansth. and cut me open... just enough to examine the port in an attempt to identify the leak. The doctor injected a blue dye in the port with a max of 10cc. Now I dont know anyone has had their fill maxed, but it feels like you were kicked in the stomach by your ex spouse (but only in a very small area). After 15 mins, there was no sign of any dye on the port or visible exposed tubing. The doctor removed the dye and then filled up the band with normal saline.. almost to the max. This procedure was done about noon and the doctor asked me to return to his office that afternoon.

4 hours later (after the minor surgery), in his office... he withdrew all the fluid and there was a half cc missing. To the best of my knowledge I left the office that day with over 8cc still in my VG band that leaked.

Now, this happend a year ago, and I was very depressed about the whole ordeal. I could not afford to have this operation to begin with and my brother who is a Surgeron in Colorado helped me out. But I made many trips from the Vegas area to Denver in adjustments and test to fix this so it was not free on my part also.

12 days ago, when I had the band repalced... The doctor told me that there was 7cc left in my old VG band. He explained that if you have a garden hose (with a pin hole leak) that has no pressure, it wont leak. But when you turn the wanter on, it will leak till the pressure equalizes.

After finding out that I had 7cc still left in the band for the last year, and being able to eat all I want, I suspect it was a bad idea to put such a large band on me.

[ROSE]

I was banded on July 14 and am scheduled for my first fill tomorrow. I must admit that I am very anxious...to see if it works. I also had a VG band put in, and was virtually not familiar with it. I had a BMI of 40 and am very short, so Dr. Ortiz felt it was my best option. The surgeon who is going to be providing my aftercare says that most doctors now use the VG band, but he also says that I will need 5cc's on the first fill. I am praying that I get restriction. I lost 10 pounds preop and have lost another 8 pounds, but I am really very hungry and denying myself. All I can do is pray that tomorrow's fill will help.

I get angry when I think of how much this all costs. It is like the insurance company wants to punish us by not covering the procedure and after care. It is a large price we are all paying, in order to get healthy.

Wish me luck tomorrow....I wish luck to all of you.

Sheila

[bethy]

I had surgery yesterday. I have the normal 10cm band. I am 5'6" with a BMI of 41. I really expected teh VG band but was pleasantly surprised to see I had the other band. It just depends what he finds inside. They will give you a card that tells you what band you have. That way you will know.

Becki

[PAMMIE]

I was banded on July 14 and am scheduled for my first fill tomorrow. I must admit that I am very anxious...to see if it works. I also had a VG band put in, and was virtually not familiar with it. I had a BMI of 40 and am very short, so Dr. Ortiz felt it was my best option. The surgeon who is going to be providing my aftercare says that most doctors now use the VG band, but he also says that I will need 5cc's on the first fill. I am praying that I get restriction. I lost 10 pounds preop and have lost another 8 pounds, but I am really very hungry and denying myself. All I can do is pray that tomorrow's fill will help.

I get angry when I think of how much this all costs. It is like the insurance company wants to punish us by not covering the procedure and after care. It is a large price we are all paying, in order to get healthy.

Wish me luck tomorrow....I wish luck to all of you.

Sheila

GOOD LUCK SHEILA!!!

[bab]

I have the larger VG band. I was banded Aug 10 and I have not been able to tell I have a band. Today I ate regular food and did not feel anything different. I am guessing that because I have the larger band that is the reason. I was beginning to think something was wrong and the band had slipped or something. I was thinking of going to a local doctor who will do my fills to see if there was a problem, but I now think it's just the large size of the band.

[LoriBecky]

Hi Bab,

If the band had slipped you more likely have more problems eating, not less! The last couple of weeks before your first fill can be tough, because you won't have much restriction as your stomach heals from the surgery. Just hang in there, practice chewing throroughly and eating slowly and not drinking while you eat. The practice will come in very handy once you get your fill!

[bab]

I have the larger VG band. I was banded Aug 10 and I have not been able to tell I have a band. Today I ate regular food and did not feel anything different. I am guessing that because I have the larger band that is the reason. I was beginning to think something was wrong and the band had slipped or something. I was thinking of going to a local doctor who will do my fills to see if there was a problem, but I now think it's just the large size of the band.

Thanks Lori! That makes me feel better. Betty

[ROSE]

I had my first fill yesterday. It wasn't as bad as I had thought. At first the surgeon thought that the port had flipped...and I almost flipped. But he took a little more time and said that the port was not one he was familiar with...but it worked. I had wanted 5cc, which he instilled, but then nothing went through my stomache..he tried 4.5 and ultimately 4.0. I do feel a little restriction, but I had hoped for more. I was able to eat one half egg white, spinache and feta cheese omelet this morning, and brought the other half to work for lunch. The scale didn't move in the past week. I hope that the fill will help.

Sheila

[Littleroo27]

I am 5'4" and around 320 lbs, BMI of 51+. Do you think it's fairly likely that I will have the larger 14cm band, or does it depend on how much fat is surrounding the area to be banded? It seems like the size of the band wouldn't depend so much on how much you weigh as how large the area being banded is, but I'm certainly no surgeon!!!

[mommyrkr]

Littleroo,

I think you are right, it depends on how much fatty tissue there is surrounding your actual stomach. I am certainly a lot bigger than a lot of people who had the VG band, 265, BMI of 42, but I still had the 4c band. I think it really is an individual decision that Dr. Ortiz makes when he sees your insides.

Becki