METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODIFYING THE EXIT ORIFICE OF A SATIATION POUCH

• US 20100100109A1
• Filed: 12/04/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Barosense, Inc. (Boston Scientific Scimed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Silverstein, Fred E., Every, Nathan, Williams, Michael S., Glenn, Richard A., Stack, Richard S., Balbierz, Dan, Lunsford, John, Athas, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,337,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/153
• 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 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0076 preventing normal digestion, e.g. Bariatric or gastric sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0079 Pyloric or esophageal obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0089 Instruments for placement or removal

Abstract

A prosthetic device is described that is positionable within the gastro-esophageal junction region of a patient. The prosthetic device includes a proximal opening and a distal orifice that is adjustable in size prior to and/or following implantation. During use, the prosthetic device is attached to tissue of the gastro-esophageal junction region of the patient, with the device positioned such that food ingested by the patient passes from the esophagus through the proximal opening into the interior of the prosthetic device, and eventually exits the prosthetic device via the distal opening.

Claims

1. A method of treating obesity in a patient comprising the steps of:

transorally implanting within the patient, a device defining a food passageway extending between proximal and distal openings, such that food ingested by the patient passes through the device, and

placing within said device passageway, to control the rate of passage of food through the device, an attachable/detachable restrictor that serves to retard the flow of food through the device by providing an orifice that is smaller than the proximal and distal openings of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the implanted device has a circumferential recess, said restrictor has a circumferential rim, and said placing includes seating the restrictor rim within the device recess.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing includes selecting a restrictor having a desired-size orifice.

4. The method of claim 3, which further includes evaluating the patient to determine whether a restrictor with a different size orifice would be more efficacious, and if so, removing the originally placed restrictor and replacing it with one having a different size orifice.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing step is carried out by transoral placement after said implanting step.