APPARATUS FOR TREATING OBESITY BY EXTRACTING FOOD

• US 20130006166A1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aspire Bariatrics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aspire Bariatrics, LLC
• Inventors: Klein, Samuel, Solomon, Stephen B., Shike, Moshe, Kamen, Dean, Ambrogi, Michael, Altobelli, David E., Yeaton, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,039,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/003 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/004 remotely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0076 preventing normal digestion, e.g. Bariatric or gastric sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0015 Gastrostomy feeding-tubes insertion tools or methods A61B17/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/73 comprising sensors or indicators for physical values
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/772 operating alternately
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/81 Piston pumps, e.g. syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/82 Membrane pumps, e.g. bulbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/84 Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1053 Stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for treating obesity. A tube is positioned that passes through a patient'"'"'s abdominal wall into the upper digestive system of the patient. The patient is allowed to carry out his/her everyday affairs including ingesting food. After the patient has ingested food, the food is extracted by pumping it out of the upper digestive system through the tube. The present invention is less invasive than current surgical procedures for reducing weight and allows patients to live a normal and active lifestyle without experiencing adverse side effects.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing ingested food from a patient'"'"'s stomach to facilitate weight loss comprising:

a gastrostomy tube configured for aspirating said ingested food out of the patient'"'"'s stomach comprising;

a tubular sidewall comprising a length sufficient to span from the patient'"'"'s stomach to the patient'"'"'s abdomen;

a lumen that is essentially coaxial with the length of the tubular sidewall;

a distal end portion that is configured to be placed in the patient'"'"'s stomach and comprises a plurality of holes in the tubular sidewall;

a proximal end portion that is configured to pass through the patient'"'"'s abdomen and further configured to lie substantially flush with the patient'"'"'s abdomen when the distal end portion is placed in the patient'"'"'s stomach; and

a first retention member that is attached to the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube, wherein the first retention member is configured to lie substantially flush with the patient'"'"'s abdomen when the distal end portion is placed in the patient'"'"'s stomach.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first retention member is attached to the tube via friction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first retention member is attached to the tube via interference.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first retention member is configured so that a position of the first retention member with respect to the gastrostomy tube is adjustable to accommodate a change in an amount of intervening tissue between the patient'"'"'s stomach and the patient'"'"'s abdomen.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second retention member attached to the gastrostomy tube and a distance between the second retention member and the first retention member, wherein the second retention member is attached to an opposite side of the patient'"'"'s abdominal wall from the first retention member.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, the second retention member being inflatable.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, the second retention member being non-inflatable.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first retention member is configured so that a position of the first retention member with respect to the second retention member is adjustable to accommodate a change in an amount of intervening tissue between the patient'"'"'s stomach and the patient'"'"'s abdomen.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the distance between the second retention member and the first retention member is adjustable to accommodate a change in an amount of intervening tissue between the patient'"'"'s stomach and the patient'"'"'s abdomen.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holes are located on the tubular sidewall in a spiral pattern.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holes are about 5×

7 mm in size

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holes are spaced about 1 to 1.5 cm apart.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the tube is at least 10 cm long.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pump that is attachable or permanently attached to the tube for removing food from the upper digestive system of the patient.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pump periodically operates in a reverse direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the tube further comprises a luer lock configured so that the pump is attachable or permanently attached to the tube'"'"'s outer surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inflatable balloon attached to the distal end portion of the tube.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a valve configured to permit removal of food from the stomach through the tube and to prevent matter from entering the stomach through the tube.

19. A method for resizing a gastrostomy tube placed through a patient'"'"'s abdominal wall to accommodate a reduction in an amount of tissue in the patient'"'"'s abdominal wall comprising:

moving a retention member attached to a proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube towards the patient'"'"'s abdomen; and

cutting off the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube.

20. An apparatus for removing ingested food from a patient'"'"'s stomach to facilitate weight loss comprising:

a gastrostomy tube configured for being placed through a patient'"'"'s abdominal wall via the patient'"'"'s mouth and esophagus, and further configured for aspirating said ingested food out of the patient'"'"'s stomach comprising;

a tubular sidewall comprising a diameter that is from 20 to 36 French and comprising a length sufficient to span from the patient'"'"'s stomach to the patient'"'"'s abdomen;

a lumen that is essentially coaxial with the length of the tubular sidewall;

a distal end portion that is configured to be placed in the patient'"'"'s stomach and comprises a plurality of holes in the tubular sidewall;

a first retention member that is attached to the distal end portion of the gastrostomy tube; and

a proximal end portion that is configured to pass through the patient'"'"'s abdomen and further configured to lie substantially flush with the patient'"'"'s abdomen when the distal end portion is placed in the patient'"'"'s stomach; and

a second retention member that is attached to the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube when the distal end portion is placed in the patient'"'"'s stomach, the second retention member being configured to lie substantially flush with the patient'"'"'s abdomen.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gastrostomy tube is configured to be placed endoscopically or radiologically.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the proximal end portion further comprises a cone-shaped tip.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the cone-shaped tip is configured to be cut off after the gastrostomy tube has been placed through the patient'"'"'s abdominal wall.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a wire at the tip of the cone-shaped tip.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gastrostomy tube comprises silicone.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the distal end portion is about 10 cm or longer.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first retention member is non-inflatable.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first retention member is inflatable.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising an inflation lumen that extends through the tubular sidewall.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, the first retention member being capable of being variably inflated to create a feeling of satiety.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, the first retention member being deformable in situ.

32. The apparatus of claim 20, the gastrostomy tube being braided with nylon.

33. The apparatus of claim 20, the gastrostomy tube being wrapped with wire material.

34. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second retention member is attached to the proximal end portion via interference.

35. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second retention member is attached to the proximal end portion via friction.

36. A method for placing a gastrostomy tube through a patient'"'"'s abdominal wall, wherein the gastrostomy tube comprises a tubular sidewall, a distal end portion, and a proximal end portion, comprising:

visualizing an insertion site on the patient'"'"'s abdomen;

making an incision at the insertion site;

inserting a cannula through the incision;

inserting a guide wire comprising a proximal end and a distal end through the cannula, such that the distal end of the guide wire is inserted into the patient'"'"'s stomach and the proximal end of the guide wire extends out of the patient'"'"'s abdomen;

pulling the distal end of the guidewire from the patient'"'"'s stomach and out of the patient'"'"'s mouth;

attaching the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube to the distal end of the guide wire;

pulling the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube through the incision by pulling the proximal end of the guide wire;

cutting the gastrostomy tube so that the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube is substantially flush with the patient'"'"'s abdomen; and

attaching a second retention member to the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube so that the second retention member lies substantially flush with the patient'"'"'s abdomen.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of pulling the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube through the incision continues until the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube extends from the patient'"'"'s abdomen and the distal end portion of the gastrostomy tube is placed in the patient'"'"'s stomach.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the gastrostomy tube further comprises a first retention member attached to the distal end portion of the gastrostomy tube and wherein the step of pulling the proximal end of the guide wire is performed until the proximal end of the gastrostomy tube is pulled through the incision.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the gastrostomy tube further comprises a first retention member attached to the distal end portion of the gastrostomy tube and wherein the step of pulling the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube through the incision continues until the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube extends from the patient'"'"'s abdomen and the first retention member is flush with a wall of the patient'"'"'s stomach.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of visualizing an insertion site is performed endoscopically.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of visualizing an insertion site is performed radiologically.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of pulling the distal end of the guidewire is performed with an endoscope.

43. The method of claim 36 further comprising insufflating the patient'"'"'s stomach with air, wherein the step of insufflating the patient'"'"'s stomach is performed before visualizing an insertion site.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube comprises a conical tip, the method further comprising cutting off the conical tip of the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube, wherein the step of cutting off the conical tip of the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube is performed after the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube is pulled through the incision.

45. The method of claim 36, further comprising removing the cannula from the incision as the proximal end portion of the gastrostomy tube is pulled through the incision.