Fundoplication apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An endoscopic device for carrying out a partial fundoplication, comprising:
- a distal bending portion having a distal tip and a flexible portion suitable to be positioned in extended shape within the esophagus of a subject;
a positioning assembly comprising two separate elements, one of which is located on said distal bending portion, and the other on said flexible portion;
a stapling assembly comprising a staple ejecting device, wherein said staple ejecting device is located on either said bending portion or on said flexible portion, said staple ejecting device being in working positioned relationship when said two separate elements of said positioning assembly are aligned; and
circuitry for determining when said two separate elements of said positioning assembly are aligned.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic device for the partial fundoplication for the treatment of GERD, comprises: a) a distal bending portion and a flexible portion suitable to be positioned in extended shape within the esophagus of a subject; b) a positioning assembly comprising two separate elements, one of which is located on said distal bending portion, and the other on said flexible portion; c) a stapling assembly comprising a staple ejecting device, wherein said staple ejecting device is located on either said bending portion or on said flexible portion, said staple ejecting devices being in working positioned relationship when said two separate elements of said positioning assembly are aligned; and d) circuitry for determining when said two separate elements of said positioning assembly are aligned.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. An endoscopic device for carrying out a partial fundoplication, comprising:
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a distal bending portion having a distal tip and a flexible portion suitable to be positioned in extended shape within the esophagus of a subject; a positioning assembly comprising two separate elements, one of which is located on said distal bending portion, and the other on said flexible portion; a stapling assembly comprising a staple ejecting device, wherein said staple ejecting device is located on either said bending portion or on said flexible portion, said staple ejecting device being in working positioned relationship when said two separate elements of said positioning assembly are aligned; and circuitry for determining when said two separate elements of said positioning assembly are aligned. - 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, 55)
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50. A method for carrying out an endoscopic partial fundoplication of the fundus of the stomach of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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(One) providing an endoscopic device comprising a bending portion and a flexible portion, a positioning assembly comprising two separate elements, and a stapling assembly comprising a staple ejecting device; (Two) moving the distal tip of said endoscopic device so as to engage said fundus of said patient and to displace it toward the lower part of the esophagus; (Three) bringing said stapling assembly into working positioned relationship by aligning said two separate elements of said positioning assembly, wherein one of said elements is located on the bending portion and the other on the flexible portion of said endoscopic device; (Four) determining when said two separate elements of said positioning assembly are aligned by maximizing a signal resulting by bringing them into close positioned relationship, which is received at a signal receiving and analyzing circuit cooperating with said positioning assembly; (Five) ejecting a plurality of staples from said staple ejecting device, thereby to connect the tissue between them; and (Six) rotating said endoscopic device relative to the axis of said esophagus and repeating steps (c) through (e) for as many times as needed to achieve the desired partial fundoplication. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification