Intragastric balloon device adapted to be repeatedly varied in volume without external assistance

• US 6,579,301 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Is LLC
• Original Assignee: Syntheon LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Kevin W., Bales, Thomas O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Application Number:
  US09/716,008
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96.01, 604/97.01, 604/97.03, 604/98.01, 604/99.01, 604/99.02, 604/99.03, 604/99.04, 604/103.11, 606/191, 606/192, 606/195
• US Class Current: 606/191
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/003 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/004 remotely adjustable

Abstract

An intragastric balloon device includes a flexible bladder, a relatively rigid reservoir coupled to the bladder and adapted to hold a bladder inflation fluid, and an inflation/deflation system adapted to move or permit movement of the fluid from the reservoir and into the bladder. The intragastric balloon device is sized such that it may be positioned, in its entirety, into the stomach cavity. Various systems may be used to move or permit movement of the fluid. A control system is provided to automatically activate the inflation/deflation system. The automatic activation may be activated by a combination of one or more of a timer, the temperature of the stomach, the pressure in the stomach, the mechanical stress in the stomach, or another sensed condition, at which the control system is programmed or otherwise configured to activate.

Claims

1. An intragastric balloon device for insertion into a stomach cavity in a body of a patient, comprising:

a) a flexible bladder;

b) a relatively rigid reservoir coupled to the bladder and adapted to hold an inflation fluid; and

c) an inflation system adapted to move or permit movement of the fluid from said reservoir and into the bladder,

wherein said bladder, said reservoir, and said inflation system are together sized to be positioned, in their entireties, within the stomach cavity.

2. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, wherein:

said inflation system includes a pump.

3. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, wherein:

said inflation system also includes a valve.

4. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, wherein:

said inflation system includes a heating element.

5. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, wherein:

said inflation system is battery powered.

6. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) a control system adapted to automatically activate the inflation system.

7. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 6, wherein:

said control system is programmed to activate by at least one of a timer, a sensed temperature of the stomach, a sensed pressure in the stomach, and a sensed mechanical stress in the stomach.

8. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 6, wherein:

said control system is programmable, and reprogrammable via a transmitter external of the body of the patient.

9. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 6, wherein:

said control system is battery-powered.

10. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) a control system adapted to activate said inflation system; and

e) means external of the body of the patient for operating said control system.

11. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, wherein:

said bladder is elastic.

12. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 2, wherein:

said inflation system is adapted to move or permit movement of the fluid from said bladder back into said reservoir.

13. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 12, wherein:

said reservoir includes means for facilitating movement of said fluid back into said reservoir.

14. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 13, wherein:

said means for facilitating movement includes a piston, and a spring forcing said piston away from said pump.

15. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 1, wherein:

said reservoir is thermally conductive and said bladder is thermally insulative relative to said reservoir.

16. An intragastric balloon device for insertion into a stomach cavity in a body of a patient, comprising:

a) a flexible bladder;

b) a reservoir coupled to the bladder and adapted to hold an inflation fluid;

c) a valve between said bladder and said reservoir; and

d) an inflation fluid within said reservoir,

wherein when said inflation fluid is heated to a temperature substantially above 98.6°

F. said inflation fluid boils and expands through said valve to inflate said bladder,

said bladder, said reservoir, and said valve are together sized to be positioned, in their entireties, within the stomach cavity.

17. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 16, further comprising:

e) a heating element adapted to heat said inflation fluid; and

f) a control system adapted to operate said heating element.

18. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 16, wherein:

said reservoir is substantially thermally conductive relative to said bladder, and said inflation fluid is adapted to boil when said reservoir is heated by a hot liquid consumed by the patient.

19. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 16, wherein:

said inflation fluid is adapted to boil at a predetermined temperature above body temperature.

20. An intragastric balloon device for insertion into a stomach cavity in a body of a patient, the stomach cavity including at least one of a gas and a liquid fluid, food particles, and bacteria, said device comprising:

a) a flexible bladder;

b) a pump coupled to said bladder and adapted to pump fluid from the stomach cavity into said bladder to inflate said bladder; and

c) a control system to operate the pump,

said bladder, said pump and said control system together sized to be positioned, in their entireties, within the stomach cavity.

21. An intragastric balloon device according to claim 20, wherein:

said pump includes a filter which substantially prevents at least one of the food particles and the bacteria from entering said bladder when said pump pumps fluid from the stomach cavity into said bladder.