ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING PRESSURE FOR A GASTRIC BAND
First Claim
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1. A medical device for automatically controlling pressure in a gastric band, comprising:
- a plurality of elastic bladders connected by flexible tubing;
each of the elastic bladders being in fluid communication via the flexible tubing; and
the elasticity in each bladder being substantially equal.
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Abstract
A bladder assembly is provided in order to maintain the pressure in the balloon portion of a gastric band in a range corresponding to a so-called Green Zone. Multiple bladders are connected by flexible tubing which is connected at a distal end to the balloon portion of a gastric band. The elastically expandable bladders provide fluid pressure on the balloon portion of the gastric band in order to maintain the intra-luminal pressure within a desired range over a prescribed fill volume.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A medical device for automatically controlling pressure in a gastric band, comprising:
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a plurality of elastic bladders connected by flexible tubing; each of the elastic bladders being in fluid communication via the flexible tubing; and the elasticity in each bladder being substantially equal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An assembly for automatically controlling pressure in a gastric band, comprising:
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a plurality of elastic bladders connected serially by flexible tubing and connected to a balloon portion of a gastric band and a refill port; each of the elastic bladders being in fluid communication via the flexible tubing and providing fluid pressure to the balloon portion; and bending the flexible tubing does not appreciably affect fluid pressure in the bladders. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An assembly for automatically and autonomously controlling the pressure-volume relationship in a gastric band, comprising:
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a gastric band having a balloon and being in a fluid communication with a refill port; a bladder assembly having a plurality of bladders connected together with flexible tubing so that the bladders are in fluid communication with each other; the bladder assembly connected to the gastric band and refill port by flexible tubing so that fluid can pass to or from the refill port, through the bladders, and to or from the balloon on the gastric band; each of the bladders having a specific compliance and being elastically expandable; wherein fluid in the bladders flows into or out of the gastric band balloon automatically and autonomously in response to changes in pressure imparted to the balloon by tissue encircled by the balloon in order to maintain intra-band pressure and therefore intra-luminal pressure in a prescribed range. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. An assembly for automatically and autonomously controlling the pressure-volume relationship in a gastric band, comprising:
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a gastric band having a balloon and being in a fluid communication with a refill port; a bladder assembly having a plurality of bladders connected together with flexible tubing so that the bladders are in fluid communication with each other; the bladder assembly connected to the gastric band and refill port by flexible tubing so that fluid can pass to or from the refill port, through the bladders, and to or from the balloon on the gastric band; each of the bladders having a specific compliance and being elastically expandable; wherein as fluid is injected into the refill port, the fluid flows into the elastically expandable bladders, which in turn causes fluid flow under pressure into the gastric band balloon to maintain intra-band pressure and therefore intra-luminal pressure in the range of about 20 mmHg to about 40 mmHg. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification