Allergan sold its LapBand business to Apollo because Allergan's sales revenue for the product  had peaked and was on a downward slide.   Apollo acquired it because it saw a potential revenue stream from the product that they thought would work well for Apollo's business.

To clarify a point, Allergan was not losing money on Lap Band when they sold; they still had revenue from Lap Band when they sold to Apollo, although not as much as a few years before.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Superior to Gastric Banding

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/757100?src=emailthis%3Fsrc%3Dstfb%3Fsrc%3Dstfb

Not-Quite-Everything you Need to Know about Lap-Bands

http://center4research.org/child-teen-health/diet-weight-and-physical-activity/not-quite-everything-you-need-to-know-about-lap-bands/

High failure rate of the laparoscopic-adjustable gastric band as a primary bariatric procedure

http://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(13)00392-4/abstract

I agree and disagree! How's that for non commital?! The device itself may well be in good condition forever but what it does to the internal organs can cause removal long before that. I don't know where it started from and I stopped using that reference awhile back so I wasn't sharing misinformation. 

However they are rather iffy on their explanation of maintenance, to me maintenance is repairing it not replacing or removing. When that happens it is because there is a problem of some sort including lack of weight lose. If it needs replacing or removing that means the appliance is faulty in some way, not that the person is at fault for it. Fancy legalese talk for "we can say what ever we want cause you layman can't prove us wrong"

Kate and I agree to disagree on the band she has had a great experience, me not so much. But see even we can get along in our little sandbox here because we are friends first and bandsters second and if not for this forum I wouldn't have near as many friends because I made alot of them right here!

I would not wish a lapband on satan himself. I had mine removed a year ago and am still suffering from all the acid in my stomach and have pain in my left shoulder if I forget and eat too fast or too much. It doesn't even have to be a big amount of food it can just be a couple of small bites too much! Then it takes hours to go away. The band has proven to be a huge failure to many of us I only know 2 people who are happy with their bands and one of them is Kate (who is also a friend in real life), she has done very well.

Me I lost a whopping 20 lbs with my band and have had pain with it for the last 3 yrs. even tho I had it removed over a year ago. Plus you have to pay for all the fills and unfills you need and that can be a few or many!! With the band you never know. I would say wait awhile and get a sleeve, they cost a little more than the band but not near as much as the RNY. The sleeve and RNY have the same amount of weight loss at 5 yrs out so it is just as efficient as the RNY but less expensive. Just don't rush into something for its cost, you never win when you do that! Good luck to you!