Anti-obesity devices

• US 20070027548A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andy Levine, David Melanson, John Meade
• Original Assignee: Andy Levine, David Melanson, John Meade
• Inventors: Meade, John, Levine, Andy, Melanson, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,766,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/23.700
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00238 Type of minimally invasive operation A61B2017/00805 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular suture extending inside a hollow needle A61B2017/06052; hollow sutures A61B2017/06185
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/045 Stomach, intestines
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8483 Barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8486 provided on at least one of the ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9528 for retrieval of stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 : differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0076 : preventing normal digestion, e.g. Bariatric or gastric sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0089 : Instruments for placement or removal

Abstract

Method and apparatus for limiting absorption of food products in specific parts of the digestive system is presented. A gastrointestinal implant device is anchored in the pyloric portion of the gastrointestinal system and extends beyond the ligament of Treitz. All food exiting the stomach is funneled through the device. The gastrointestinal device includes an anchor for anchoring the device in the pyloric portion and a flexible sleeve that extents into the duodenum. The anchor is collapsible for endoscopic delivery and removal.

Claims

1. A delivery apparatus comprising:

a catheter for passage through the intestines; and

an atraumatic element releasably coupled to a distal tip of the catheter, the atraumatic element being releasable within the intestines after facilitating passage of the catheter therein and the atraumatic element being external to the catheter during passage within the intestines.

2. The delivery apparatus of claim 1 wherein the atraumatic element is remotely releasable.

3. The delivery apparatus of claim 2, wherein the atraumatic element comprises a ball.

4. The delivery apparatus of claim 2, wherein the atraumatic element is spherically shaped.

5. The delivery apparatus of claim 2, wherein the atraumatic element is inflatable.

6. A method of delivering a gastrointestinal implant comprising:

passing a catheter through the intestines, the catheter having an atraumatic element releasably coupled to a distal tip thereof, the atraumatic element being external to the catheter during passage within the intestines; and

releasing the atraumatic element within the intestines after facilitating passage of the catheter therein.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the atraumatic element is remotely releasable.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the atraumatic element comprises a ball.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the atraumatic element is spherically shaped.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the atraumatic element is inflatable.