A surgical introducer for an implant, such as a gastric band. The introducer has a shaft portion with a longitudinal axis extending through proximal and distal sides. A guide bore extends longitudinally through the shaft portion to extend the shaft to slide over an elongated guide member. A band-pulling member is disposed on the distal side and is configured to retain the implant in a loaded position on the shaft and to pull the implant in this position across an incision, such as across an abdominal wall, through an implantation site.