Obesity treatment tools and methods

• US 20040122452A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Satiety, Inc.
• Inventors: French, Ronald G., Sutton, Douglas S., Gifford, Hanson S. III, Andreas, Bernard H., Deem, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/395 with marking agent for marking skin or other tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0083 Reducing the size of the stomach, e.g. gastroplasty surgical interventions A61B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0086 using clamps, folding means or the like

Abstract

Various obesity treatment tools and methods are described herein, as well as treatments for other gastric-related diseases, e.g., GERD. Treatment includes reducing the size of the stomach pouch to limit the caloric intake as well as to provide an earlier feeling of satiety. This may be done by creating a smaller gastric pouch within the stomach directly from the interior of the stomach itself. The smaller pouches may be made through the use of individual anchoring devices, rotating probes, or volume reduction devices. A pyloroplasty procedure may also be performed to render the pyloric sphincter incompetent. A gastric bypass procedure may additionally be performed using atraumatic magnetic anastomoses devices so that sugars and fats are passed directly to the bowel while bypassing the stomach. Many of these procedures may be done in a variety of combinations. Treatment may create enforced behavioral modifications by discouraging the ingestion of high-caloric foods.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming a lumen from within an hollow body organ, comprising:

a tissue positioning device defining at least a first region for releasably adhering a first area of tissue and at least a second region for releasably adhering a second area of tissue thereto;

at least one fastener housed within the device and adapted to be deployed such that the first area of tissue is secured to the second area of tissue via the fastener; and

a septum removably positionable between the first region and the second region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tissue positioning device defines a slot within which the septum is positionable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tissue positioning device defines a plurality of additional regions for adhering additional tissue thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first region and the second region are adjacently located.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first area of tissue and the second area of tissue are adhered to the tissue positioning device via a vacuum created in the first region and the second region.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first region and the second region are in fluid communication with a common channel defined within the tissue positioning device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the common channel is separated via the septum.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of additional fasteners housed within the device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener comprises a staple.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the septum is longitudinally positioned in the tissue positioning device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the septum defines at least one surface adapted to abrade adjacent tissue.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the septum is adapted to abrade using a method selected from the group consisting of cutting, scoring, heating, freezing, and chemical ablation.

13. A method for forming a lumen from within an hollow body organ, comprising:

releasably adhering a first area of tissue to a first region of a tissue positioning device such that the first area of tissue is positioned within a first region of the tissue positioning device;

releasably adhering a second area of tissue to a second region of the tissue positioning device such that the second area of tissue is positioned within a second region of the tissue positioning device;

removing a septum which separates the first region from the second region on the tissue positioning device; and

fastening the first area of tissue to the second area of tissue such that the lumen is formed within the hollow body organ.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first area of tissue is releasably adhered to the first region via a vacuum.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein releasably adhering the first area of tissue comprises adhering the first area of tissue via a plurality of openings defined along the first region.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the second area of tissue is releasably adhered to the second region via a vacuum.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein releasably adhering the second area of tissue comprises adhering the second area of tissue via a plurality of openings defined along the second region.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein removing the septum comprises contacting the first area of tissue against the second area of tissue.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein removing the septum comprises displacing the septum longitudinally relative to the tissue positioning device.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein removing the septum further comprises abrading at least the first area of tissue or the second area of tissue.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein fastening the first area of tissue to the second area of tissue comprises deploying a plurality of fasteners between the first region and the second region.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein removing the septum and fastening the first area of tissue to the second area of tissue occurs simultaneously.

23. The method of claim 13 further comprising removing the tissue positioning device.

24. The method of claim 13 further comprising advancing the tissue positioning device trans-esophageally into the hollow body organ prior to releasably adhering the first area of tissue.

25. A junction within a hollow body organ having an exterior tissue surface and an interior tissue surface, the junction comprising:

a plurality of staples aligned with one another such that the junction is formed by the alignment of staples,

wherein the alignment of staples is fastening at least three portions of the interior tissue surface from within the hollow body organ.

26. The junction of claim 25 wherein the alignment of staples is positioned within a stomach which defines at least a cardiac notch, a lesser curve, and a pylorus.

27. The junction of claim 26 wherein the alignment of staples extends in a straight line from the cardiac notch towards the pylorus.

28. The junction of claim 26 wherein the alignment of staples extends in an angled line from the cardiac notch toward the pylorus.

29. The junction of claim 28 wherein the angled line flares away from the lesser curve.

30. The junction of claim 25 wherein the alignment of staples further includes at least a portion of the exterior surface.