CPC A61F 5/0086 (2013.01) [A61B 17/122 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
1. A gastric band configured to be positioned on a stomach to partition the stomach into a first portion and a second portion, and to provide a passage between the first and second portions of the stomach, the gastric band comprising:
a partitioning section comprising a first arm with a first elongate portion, the first arm having a distal end and a proximal end and extending a majority of a length of the gastric band, and a second arm with a second elongate portion, the second arm having a distal end and a proximal end and extending a majority of the length of the gastric band, the first elongate portion of the first arm and the second elongate portion of the second arm curved to at least partially accommodate the lesser curvature of a stomach and, when the gastric band is positioned on the stomach, at least a portion of the second elongate portion is spaced apart a first distance from at least a portion of the first elongate portion; and
a passage-forming section comprising a first curved passage-forming member positioned adjacent the proximal end of the first arm of the partitioning section and substantially aligned with at least a portion of the first arm of the partitioning section, and a second curved passage-forming member positioned adjacent the proximal end of the second arm of the partitioning section and substantially aligned with at least a portion of the second arm of the partitioning section, wherein at least a portion of the first curved passage forming member and a portion of the second curved passage-forming member are spaced apart at least by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that, when the gastric band is positioned on the stomach, the first curved passage-forming member and the second curved passage-forming member at least partially define a single aperture that allows gastric juices to flow through the passage between the first portion and the second portion of the stomach when the gastric band is positioned on the stomach.
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