Patent ID: 7899540

Claim:
A method of noninvasively adjusting a gastric band used for treating an eating disorder, the method comprising: providing an implantable gastric band unit comprising a gastric band comprising an inner periphery for contacting at least a portion of a patient's gastrointestinal tract that is innervated by at least one of the anterior branch and the posterior branch of the vagus nerve, an adjustment element, a receiver coupled to said adjustment element, a plurality of stimulation electrodes on said inner periphery and at least one pressure sensor on said inner periphery; providing an external adjustment controller for transmitting an adjustment signal to said receiver; surgically coupling said implantable gastric band unit to said portion of the gastrointestinal tract; noninvasively transmitting an adjustment signal to said receiver; adjusting the constriction provided by said gastric band to said at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract using said adjustment element in response to said adjustment signal; and regulating said adjustment signal based on a pressure signal sensed by the at least one pressure sensor to maintain a desired constant pressure on said portion of said patient's gastrointestinal tract, when said gastric band unit is used to treat obesity, compulsive overeating, bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.