Methods and Devices For to Treatment of Obesity

• US 20080051824A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Gertner
• Original Assignee: Michael Gertner
• Inventors: Gertner, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,841,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• 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 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/005 hardenable using external energy source, e.g. laser, ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1103 Approximator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1139 Side-to-side connections, e.g. shunt or X-connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22054 with two balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0086 using clamps, folding means or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/36 Creation of semantic tools, e.g. ontology or thesauri
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/284 Lexical analysis, e.g. tokenisation or collocates

Abstract

Methods and devices to externally create a restriction on the stomach are described. In some embodiments, the devices are contoured to fit the stomach and can be further anchored to the stomach. In further embodiments, the degree of deployment of the extragastric restriction device is controllable after implantation. In other embodiments, specialized wires, catheters, ports, and trocars specific for placement of extragastric restriction devices are presented. In still further embodiments, systems are described in which adjustability of the devices is provided along with sensing and actuating ability.

Claims

1. An implantable device for treatment of obesity, said device comprising:

an expandable main body member configured to be positioned adjacent a portion of a stomach of a patient, within the abdominal cavity of the patient;

an anchor configured to fix a portion of said main body member in a position relative to at least one internal body structure, without piercing through a wall of the stomach;

an adjustment member having a port, said adjustment member configured to be anchored to an abdominal wall or subcutaneously external to the abdominal wall; and

a conduit connecting said main body with said adjustment member, wherein said device is configured to be implanted without piercing through the stomach wall.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said expandable main body member comprises an inflatable body member.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said expandable member has only one expandable chamber.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said anchor is configured to fix a portion of said main body member to an internal body structure other than the stomach or abdominal wall.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said expandable body member, when inflated to an expanded configuration, is non-spherical.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein said inflateable expandable body member, comprises more than one inflateable compartment.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a concave surface configured and dimensioned to receive the stomach and envelope the stomach.

8. The device of claim 2, further comprising a region formed in an end region of said inflatable body member, said region configured for receiving the esophagus where it joins the stomach.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said expandable body member generally follows a contour of the shape of the stomach, wherein, when compressed against the stomach, said expandable body member is configured to reduce the interior space within the stomach.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein said inflatable body member has a length dimension and a width dimension, said length dimension being greater than said width dimension when said inflatable body member is in a deflated state.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein first and second end portions of said inflatable body member, along said length dimension, expand less than expansion of a portion between said first and second end portions when said inflatable body member is inflated.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said first and second ends bend inward toward said portion between said first and second end portions.

13. The device of claim 2, wherein said inflatable member expands asymmetrically when inflated.

14. The device of claim 2, wherein said inflatable member comprises two different materials at two different portions thereof, wherein a first of said materials is more compliant than a second of said materials.

15. The device of claim 2, comprising a substantially non-expanding backing member on one surface of said inflatable body member, wherein, upon inflation of said inflatable body member, said inflatable body member expands predominantly in a direction away from said backing member.

16. The device of claim 2, wherein said inflatable body member comprises two different materials at two different portions thereof, wherein a first of said materials is more compliant than a second of said materials, and wherein a surface of said inflatable body member adapted to expand toward the stomach when said inflatable body member is positioned as intended comprises said first material, while a surface opposite said surface adapted to expand toward the stomach comprises said second material, wherein, upon inflation of said inflatable body member, said inflatable body member expands predominantly in a direction away from said surface comprising said second material.

17. A method of treating obesity in a patient, said method comprising:

making a minimally invasive opening to the abdominal cavity of the patient;

passing an expandable device, while in a contracted configuration, through said opening;

positioning the expandable device adjacent the stomach of the patient;

anchoring the expandable device to at least one structure in the abdominal cavity, without piercing through a wall of the stomach; and

expanding the expandable device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least two locations on the expandable device are anchored to at least one structure in the abdominal cavity without piercing through a wall of the stomach.

19. A method of treating obesity comprising:

placing a space occupying device within an abdominal cavity in proximity to a stomach;

expanding the space occupying device to reduce the space available for the stomach to expand; and

leaving the space occupying device in proximity to the stomach for sufficient time to induce weight loss.

20. A method of creating a feeling of satiety comprising:

positioning an expandable device in proximity to a stomach without penetrating a wall of the stomach; and

expanding the expandable device to the volume of the stomach, wherein the stomach is free to move.

21. An anchoring frame for anchoring a device to an internal structure in a patient'"'"'s body, said frame comprising:

a main body having proximal and distal ends;

at least one channel running substantially between said proximal and distal ends;

a contact surface adapted to contact the internal structure in the patient'"'"'s body;

anchors positionable in said anchoring frame which can optionally be driven through said contact surface and into the internal structure; and

a deployment driver slidable through at least one of said at least one channels, wherein sliding said deployment driver through said at least one channel can drive one or more anchors through said contact surface.

22. The anchoring frame of claim 21, further comprising a lumen passing through at least a portion of said main body to configure said anchoring frame to be passed over a guidewire.

23. The anchoring frame of claim 22 wherein said main body is flexible.

24. The anchoring frame of claim 23, further comprising an interlock on the proximal or distal end portion of said main body, said interlock comprising resiliently deflectable teeth configured to lock with an engagement member receivable in said interlock