Patent ID: 8858421

Claim:
A gastric banding system for the treatment of obesity, the gastric banding system comprising: an access port having an internal fluid reservoir and a conduit having a head; a gastric band having an inflatable portion; a tube having an inner surface, said inner surface defining a first pathway, the tube connecting the internal fluid reservoir to the inflatable portion; and a first stem guard located within the first pathway of the tube and configured to prevent a needle from passing therethrough, the first stem guard including: a first socket-shaped tail portion that receives the head of the conduit, a first ball-shaped head portion, a first shaft portion located between the first socket-shaped tail portion and the first ball-shaped head portion, the first shaft portion defining a second pathway for carrying fluid, and a first barb portion protruding from the first shaft portion and configured to extend into the inner surface of the tube.