Controlled heartburn and reflux disease treatment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A heartburn and reflux disease treatment apparatus, comprising:
- an operable restriction device adapted to be implanted in a patient having heartburn and reflux disease to engage the esophagus or the stomach close to the cardia without forming an upper pouch of the stomach that substantially accumulates food to form a restricted food passageway in the stomach or esophagus, said restriction device being designed to work like an artificial sphincter to allow food to readily pass through the passageway,a source of energy, and a control device operable from outside the patient'"'"'s body for releasing energy from said source of energy for use in operating said restriction device to restrict the passageway sufficiently so as to substantially prevent regurgitation of stomach acids or foods into the patient'"'"'s esophagus.
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Abstract
A heartburn and reflux disease treatment apparatus and method include and utilize: an operable restriction device implanted in a patient and engaging the stomach close to the cardia or engaging the esophagus to form a restricted passageway in the stomach or esophagus, a source of energy for energizing the restriction device, and a control device for releasing energy from the source of energy from outside the patient'"'"'s body. The released energy is used in connection with the operation of the restriction device including to enlarge or contract the restricted passageway.
196 Citations
127 Claims
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1. A heartburn and reflux disease treatment apparatus, comprising:
- an operable restriction device adapted to be implanted in a patient having heartburn and reflux disease to engage the esophagus or the stomach close to the cardia without forming an upper pouch of the stomach that substantially accumulates food to form a restricted food passageway in the stomach or esophagus, said restriction device being designed to work like an artificial sphincter to allow food to readily pass through the passageway,
a source of energy, and a control device operable from outside the patient'"'"'s body for releasing energy from said source of energy for use in operating said restriction device to restrict the passageway sufficiently so as to substantially prevent regurgitation of stomach acids or foods into the patient'"'"'s esophagus. - 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, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124)
a pressure sensor for directly or indirectly sensing the pressure in the food passageway. -
92. The apparatus according to claim 91, wherein said control device controls said restriction device in response to sensing from said pressure sensor.
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93. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an energy transfer device adapted to be implanted in the patient, wherein said control device releases electric energy and said energy transfer device transfers said electric energy into kinetic energy for operation of said restriction device.
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94. The apparatus according to claim 93, further comprising a capacitor adapted to be implanted in the patient for stabilizing said electric energy released by said control device.
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95. The apparatus according to claim 93, wherein said restriction device is directly operated with said kinetic energy, as said energy transfer device transfers said electric energy into kinetic energy.
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96. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restriction device is non-inflatable.
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97. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases energy for a determined time period.
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98. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases energy in a determined number of energy pulses.
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99. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device comprises a wireless remote control transmitting at least one wireless control signal for controlling said restriction device.
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100. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said remote control is capable of obtaining information on the condition of said restriction device and of controlling said restriction device in response to said information.
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101. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said wireless remote control comprises at least one external signal transmitter or transceiver and at least one internal signal receiver or transceiver adapted to be implanted in the patient.
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102. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said wireless remote control comprises at least one external signal receiver or transceiver and at least one internal signal transmitter or transceiver adapted to be implanted in the patient.
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103. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said remote control is capable of sending information related to said restriction device from inside the patient'"'"'s body to the outside thereof.
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104. The apparatus according to claim 103, wherein said remote control controls said restriction device in response to said information.
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105. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said remote control transmits a carrier signal for carrying said control signal.
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106. The apparatus according to claim 105, wherein said carrier signal is frequency, amplitude or frequency and amplitude modulated.
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107. The apparatus according to claim 105, wherein said carrier signal is digital, analog or digital and analog.
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108. The apparatus according to claim 105, wherein said control signal used with said carrier signal is frequency, amplitude or frequency and amplitude modulated.
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109. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said control signal comprises a wave signal comprising one of a sound wave signal including an ultrasound wave signal, an electromagnetic wave signal including an infrared light signal, a visible light signal, an ultra violet light signal and a laser light signal, a micro wave signal, a radio wave signal, an x-ray radiation signal, and a gamma radiation signal.
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110. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said control signal comprises an electric, magnetic or electric and magnetic field.
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111. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said control signal is digital, analog or digital and analog.
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112. The apparatus according to claim 111, wherein said remote control transmits an electromagnetic carrier wave signal for carrying said digital or analog control signal.
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113. The apparatus according to claim 99, wherein said control signal is transmitted in pulses by said wireless remote control.
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114. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases energy from said source of energy in a non-invasive manner.
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115. apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases magnetic energy.
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116. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases electromagnetic energy.
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117. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases kinetic energy.
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118. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases thermal energy.
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119. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases energy from said source of energy in a mechanical manner.
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120. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases non-magnetic energy.
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121. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases non-electromagnetic energy.
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122. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases non-kinetic energy.
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123. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases non-thermal energy.
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124. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device releases energy from said source of energy in a non-mechanical manner.
- an operable restriction device adapted to be implanted in a patient having heartburn and reflux disease to engage the esophagus or the stomach close to the cardia without forming an upper pouch of the stomach that substantially accumulates food to form a restricted food passageway in the stomach or esophagus, said restriction device being designed to work like an artificial sphincter to allow food to readily pass through the passageway,
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125. A method of treating a patient having heartburn and reflux disease, comprising:
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(a) implanting in the patient an operable restriction device, so that the restriction device engages the stomach close to the cardia or engages the esophagus without forming an upper pouch of the stomach that substantially accumulates food to form a restricted food passageway in the stomach or esophagus, (b) implanting in the patient a source of energy, (c) implanting in the patient an operation device for operating said restriction device, (d) controlling the source of energy to release energy, and (e) using the released energy to activate the implanted operation device so as (i) to enlarge the restricted food passageway to allow food to readily pass therethrough into the patient'"'"'s stomach, or to allow the patient to regurgitate, or (ii) to restrict the restricted food passageway sufficiently so as to substantially prevent regurgitation of stomach acids and foods into the esophagus.
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126. A method of treating a patient having heartburn and reflux disease, comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing at least two laparoscopical trocars in the patient'"'"'s body, (b) inserting a dissecting tool through the trocars and dissecting an area of the stomach or esophagus, (c) placing an operable restriction device in the dissected area, so that the restriction device engages the stomach close to the cardia or engages the esophagus without forming an upper pouch of the stomach that substantially accumulates food to form a restricted food passageway in the stomach or esophagus, (d) implanting a source of energy in the patient, (e) implanting in the patient an operation device for operating said restriction device, (f) controlling the source of energy from outside the patient'"'"'s body to release energy, and (g) using the released energy to activate the implanted operation device so as to (i) enlarge the restricted food passageway to allow food to readily pass therethrough into the patient'"'"'s stomach, or to allow the patient to regurgitate, or (ii) restrict the restricted food passageway sufficiently so as to substantially prevent regurgitation of stomach acids and foods into the esophagus.
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127. A method of treating heartburn and reflux disease, comprising the steps of:
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placing at least two laparascopical trocars in a patient'"'"'s body, inserting a dissecting tool through the trocars and dissecting an area of the stomach or esophagus, implanting an operable restriction device in the dissected area, so that the restriction device engages the stomach close to the cardia or engages the esophagus without forming an upper pouch of the stomach that substantially accumulates food to form a restricted food passageway in the stomach or esophagus, implanting an internal source of energy in the patient, providing an external source of energy, controlling the external source of energy to release wireless energy, transferring the wireless energy released from the external energy into storable energy, charging the internal source of energy with the storable energy, and using energy from the internal source of energy for operating the restriction device to restrict the passageway sufficiently so as to substantially prevent regurgitation of stomach acids or foods into the patient'"'"'s esophagus.
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Specification