Satiation devices and methods

• US 6,675,809 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Synecor LLC
• Inventors: Glenn, Richard A., Stack, Richard S., Moody, Trevor J., Eubanks, William S. Jr., Silverstein, Fred E., Every, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/940,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 623/23.68, 623/23.7, 623/2.1, 606/191, 606/192, 606/96, 606/151, 606/153, 606/154, 606/157, 128/898
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/045 Stomach, intestines
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8483 Barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0069 in the wall of the stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0076 preventing normal digestion, e.g. Bariatric or gastric sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0079 Pyloric or esophageal obstructions

Abstract

A device for inducing weight loss in a patient includes a tubular prosthesis self-expandable from a collapsed position in which the prosthesis has a first diameter to an expanded position in which the prosthesis has a second, larger, diameter. In a method for inducing weight loss, the prosthesis is placed in the collapsed position and inserted into a stomach of a patient. The prosthesis is allowed to self-expand from the collapsed position to the expanded position and into contact with the walls of the stomach, where it induces feelings of satiety and/or inhibits modulation of satiety-controlling factors such as Ghrelin.

Claims

1. A method for treating obesity in a patient, comprising the steps of

providing a pouch having a proximal opening and a distal opening;

positioning the pouch within the stomach of a patient;

placing the proximal opening of the pouch in the region of the distal end of the esophagus and approximately aligning said proximal opening with said distal end;

securing the pouch within the stomach; and

causing food ingested by the patient to flow from the esophagus into the pouch; and

causing the pouch to restrict flow of food from the pouch into the stomach at a rate that is slower than a rate at which food would move from the esophagus to the stomach in the absence of the pouch.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the proximal opening has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the distal opening.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pouch has an approximate funnel shape.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

attaching the pouch to a cage having a framework defining an interior space; and

positioning the cage within the stomach.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of attaching the pouch to the cage is performed prior to the step of positioning the cage within the stomach.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of positioning the cage within the stomach includes placing a portion of the cage at the fundus of the stomach.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch includes a sidewall and wherein the method includes the step of substantially preventing passage of ingested food material through the sidewall.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch limits the amount of food the patient can consume at one time.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch has a volume of approximately 30-50 cc.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the patient has a gastro-esophageal junction and wherein the positioning step includes the step of positioning the proximal opening of the pouch in a region of a gastro-esophageal junction.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the securing step includes securing the pouch to tissue in the region of the gastro-esophageal junction.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the securing step includes securing the pouch to tissue using sutures.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the securing step includes securing the pouch to tissue using sutures.

16. The method of claim 13, further including the step of causing food to accumulate in the pouch.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of causing food to accumulate in the pouch includes causing at least a portion of the accumulated food to remain in the pouch until broken down by digestive enzymes.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch is formed of polymer.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch is formed of polyester.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch is formed of shape memory material.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the shape memory material is nitinol.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the shape memory material is shape memory polymer.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch is formed of stainless steel.

5. A method for treating obesity in a patient, comprising the steps of:

providing a pouch having a proximal opening and a distal opening;

positioning a cage within the stomach; and

placing the proximal opening of the pouch in the region of the distal end of the esophagus and approximately aligning said proximal opening with said distal end, and securing the pouch within the stomach by attaching the pouch to the cage after positioning the cage within the stomach; and

causing food ingested by the patient to flow from the esophagus into the pouch.

8. A method for treating obesity in a patient, comprising the steps of:

providing a pouch having a proximal opening and a distal opening;

positioning the pouch within the stomach of a patient;

placing the proximal opening of the pouch in the region of the distal end of the esophagus and approximately aligning said proximal opening with said distal end;

securing the pouch within the stomach; and

causing food ingested by the patient to flow from the esophagus into the pouch; and

positioning an alignment tube in the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s esophagus, the alignment tube directing food from the esophagus into the proximal opening of the pouch.