Patent ID: 8246617

Claim:
A method for positioning a band around a stomach in a body cavity, the method comprising: introducing an elongate shaft into the body cavity, positioning a snare within the elongate shaft, the snare including a snare loop and a distal tip on the snare loop; advancing the distal tip of the snare loop from the shaft to a first position in which the distal tip is distal to the shaft; energizing the distal tip using a source of electrosurgical energy and advancing the shaft in a first direction to form a tunnel through tissue around a portion of the stomach using the energized distal tip; with the shaft disposed in the tunnel, advancing the snare loop to a second position in which the snare loop is distal to the shaft; passing a portion of a gastric banding device through the snare loop and partially withdrawing the snare loop relative to the shaft to close the snare loop against the banding device; withdrawing the shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction to draw a portion of the gastric banding device through the tunnel; and retaining the gastric banding device around the stomach.