Assembly and method for automatically controlling pressure for a gastric band
First Claim
1. An assembly for passively controlling pressure, comprising:
- a bladder having an internal volume for receiving a fluid;
a balloon having an internal volume for receiving a fluid;
tubing extending between the bladder and the balloon so that the fluid in the bladder can flow into the balloon and vice versa;
wherein fluid pressure between the bladder and the balloon automatically and continuously adjusts so that there is substantially no lasting pressure differential between the bladder and the balloon.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An elastic bladder is provided that is in constant fluid communication with the expandable balloon portion of a gastric band in order to automatically and continuously adjust the gastric band. The fluid pressure between the bladder and the balloon portion of the gastric band automatically and continuously adjusts so that there is no lasting pressure differential between the bladder and the expandable balloon. As the level of restriction imparted by the gastric band on the stomach of the patient changes, fluid from the bladder automatically and substantially instantaneously flows to or from the expandable balloon portion of the gastric band thereby maintaining neutral fluid pressure equilibrium between the bladder and the balloon and automatically adjusting the band to the correct level of restriction to keep the patient in the optimum zone for weight loss.
99 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An assembly for passively controlling pressure, comprising:
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a bladder having an internal volume for receiving a fluid; a balloon having an internal volume for receiving a fluid; tubing extending between the bladder and the balloon so that the fluid in the bladder can flow into the balloon and vice versa; wherein fluid pressure between the bladder and the balloon automatically and continuously adjusts so that there is substantially no lasting pressure differential between the bladder and the balloon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of treating a patient using a gastric band, comprising:
maintaining an intra-band pressure substantially constant over a range of intra-band volumes. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of treating a patient having a gastric band, comprising:
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providing a gastric band having an expandable balloon; providing a bladder in fluid communication with the balloon; maintaining an intra-band pressure substantially constant within a desired range by automatically adjusting fluid flow between the balloon and the bladder. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification