Vertically oriented band for stomach

A gastric band, comprising:

• a first section having first and second arms spaced from one another a first distance when positioned on a stomach and configured to close walls of the stomach together to form a first compartment of the stomach and a second compartment of the stomach, said first section extending a majority of a length of said gastric band;
• a second section disposed at an end of the gastric band opposite the first section, the second section having first and second portions, the first portion coupled with the first arm of the first section at a bent end of the first arm and the second portion coupled with the second arm of the first section at a bent end of the second arm, and the first and second portions at least partially spaced from one another a second distance at the bent ends greater than the first distance, the second section configured to form a passage between the first compartment of the stomach and the second compartment of the stomach, wherein the second section is curved along its entire length, positioning the first and second arms opposite the second section and cantilevering from the second section;
• and
• an inflatable portion, wherein the inflatable portion is at least a portion of at least one of the first section and the second section.

A gastric band to partition a 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 distal end of the gastric band;
• a passage-forming section comprising a curved proximal end of the gastric band;
• wherein the partitioning section comprises:
• a first arm extending a majority of a length of the gastric band;
• and
• a second arm extending the majority of the length of the gastric band,
• wherein the second arm is spaced apart from the first arm by a first distance to partition the stomach into the first and second portions;
• wherein the passage-forming section comprises:
• a caudal-most curved portion extending toward the first arm and the second arm of the partitioning section,
• a first passage-forming portion,
• wherein the first passage-forming portion is at least partially curved,
• wherein the first passage-forming portion is adjacent to the first arm of the partitioning section, and
• wherein the first passage-forming portion extends substantially in a cranial direction towards the partitioning section;
• a second passage-forming portion,
• wherein the second passage-forming portion is at least partially curved,
• wherein the second passage-forming portion is adjacent to the second arm of the partitioning section,
• wherein the second passage-forming portion is adjacent to the first passage-forming portion, and
• wherein the second passage-forming portion extends substantially in the cranial direction towards the partitioning section;
• wherein the first passage-forming portion and the second passage forming portion are both united to the caudal-most curved portion;
• wherein the first passage-forming portion and the second passage-forming portion are at least partially spaced apart at a location by a second distance,
• wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and
• wherein no portion of the gastric band crosses a tangent line that is tangent to the caudal-most point on the caudal-most curved portion.