Gastric bypass band and surgical method

• US 7,909,839 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bariatec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bariatec Corporation
• Inventors: Fields, C. Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): RYCKMAN, MELISSA K
• Application Number:
  US10/876,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20050277963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,462 Days
• Field of Search: 606/157, 606/151, 606/158, 600/30, 600/37, 604/909, 63/11, 63/153, 63/31, 246/62, 24/17.AP, 24/16.PB, 24/305.P, 249/10, 241/15.R, 241/29.R, 241/30, 241/32.R, 241/36.R, 241/15.N, 54/21, 289/13, 289/14
• US Class Current: 606/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12009 Implements for ligaturing other than by clamps or clips, e.g. using a loop with a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/005 Gastric bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0066 Closing devices for gastric bands

Abstract

An inventive method for performing gastric bypass surgery and a gastric bypass band that is used in conjunction with the surgical method is disclosed. The inventive method involves separating a top portion of the stomach along with the esophagus from the remainder of the stomach, and re-connecting the separated portion to the small intestine to form a gastric pouch of about 20-30 cc in size. The inventive gastric band is placed midway along the gastric pouch to act as a restrictor valve to limit the amount of food passing through the valve. The band also retains food within the gastric pouch to give the patient a feeling of satiety. The band is comprised of an expansion-resistant section combined with a one-way latch mechanism. The latch has a curved orientation so that the band is formed into a radial profile when placed around the gastric pouch.

Claims

1. A surgical band device that is laparoscopically implantable within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

a flexible expansion-resistant section having first and second ends, the expansion-resistant section having a flat face extending along its length between the first and second ends, the expansion-resistant section being of uniform-cross section between the first and second ends; and

a lockable latch divided into two parts wherein a first latch part is coupled to the first end of the expansion-resistant section and co-extensive with the expansion-resistant section, and a second latch part is coupled to the second end of the expansion-resistant section and co-extensive with the expansion-resistant section;

wherein the first latch part of the two parts is encloseably insertable into the second latch part of the two parts; and

wherein both of the first and second latch parts have a fixed longitudinal curvature when the first and second latch parts are unlocked so that upon locking the first and second latch parts, the lockable latch and the expansion-resistant section form a closed loop that achieves a radial shape aligning the longitudinally curved latch with the flat face along an inside diameter surface of the closed loop consisting of both the flat face surface of the expansion-resistant section and a longitudinally curved latch surface of the latch, wherein the latch is positioned along the closed loop between the first and second ends of the expansion-resistant section, and wherein the expansion-resistant section having a longitudinally extending configuration along its length when the first and second latch parts are unlocked and the surgical band device is fed laparoscopically through tissue within the patient'"'"'s body and a radial shape configuration along its length when the first and second latch parts are locked and the surgical band device is positioned around tissue within the patient'"'"'s body.

2. The band device as recited in claim 1, wherein the expansion-resistant section is further comprised of a length of silicone having an expansion-resistant core.

3. The band device as recited in claim 1, wherein the expansion-resistant section is further comprised of a length of silicone tubing having a monofilament core.

4. The band device as recited in claim 3, wherein the monofilament core is a polypropylene suture.

5. The band device as recited in claim 4, wherein the device is radiopaque.

6. The band device as recited in claim 5, wherein the two parts of said lockable latch are engaged by a male-female type engagement.

7. The band device as recited in claim 1, wherein the latch locks in a one-way engagement.

8. The band device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device has an inner circumference of between 5.5 and 7.0 cm.

9. The band device as recited in claim 1, wherein the expansion-resistant section has a cross-sectional diameter of 0.125″

or less.

10. The band device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an elongate member formed of a expansion-resistant material and having first and second ends, the elongate member extending through the expansion-resistant section along its length and beyond the first and second ends of expansion-resistant section into the first and second latch parts, the first and second ends of the elongate member coupling the first and second latch parts to the first and second ends of the expansion-resistant section.

11. The band device as recited in claim 1 wherein the expansion-resistant section is formed from a first material and the latch is formed from a second material that is more rigid than the first material.

12. The band device as recited in claim 11 wherein the second material is plastic.

13. A surgical kit, comprising:

the gastric bypass band device of claim 1; and

a radiopaque marker band.

14. The surgical kit as recited in claim 13, further comprising a disposable positioner cover fitted over the second latch part and having a blunt forward profile for guiding the gastric band device into position about tissue in a patient'"'"'s body.

15. The surgical kit as recited in claim 14, wherein the band device, and the disposable cover are radiopaque.

16. The surgical kit as recited in claim 14, wherein the positioner cover further comprises a lumen for receiving the second latch part, the lumen of the positioner cover being lined with longitudinal ridges.

17. The cover as recited in claim 16, wherein the lumen forms a rear opening in the positioner cover, the lumen portion extending forward and mating with an elongate portion of the positioner cover, the elongate portion terminating in a blunt forward end.

18. A surgical band device that is laparoscopically implantable within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

a flexible expansion-resistant section having first and second ends, said expansion-resistant section having a flat face along its length, said expansion-resistant section being of uniform cross-section between said first and second ends;

a lockable latch divided into two parts wherein a male part is coupled to said first end of said expansion-resistant section and a female part is coupled to said second end of said expansion-resistant section, said male part being encloseably insertable into said female part;

said female part including an exterior body having an interior lumen, said exterior body having side through-openings communicating with said lumen, said lumen including a front opening, wherein said opening is lined with an inwardly-beveled face;

said male part including two lateral prongs extending from a prong body, said prong body having an outwardly-beveled face, said lateral prongs extending forward of said prong body and ending in two corresponding lateral catches, said lateral catches including angled side faces for engaging with said lumen of said female part, said lateral catches further engaging in a lockable one-way engagement with said side openings of said female part when said male and female parts are fully engaged and wherein upon full engagement, said outwardly-beveled face of said male part mates with said inwardly beveled face of said female part; and

wherein both said male and female latch parts are longitudinally curved so that upon locking said latch parts, said band device achieves a radial shape aligning said longitudinally curved latch with said flat face along an inside diameter surface consisting of both said flat face surface and a longitudinally curved latch surface of said band device, and wherein the expansion-resistant section having a longitudinally extending configuration along its length when the latch parts are unlocked and said band device is fed laparoscopically through tissue within the patient'"'"'s body and a radial shape configuration along its length when the latch parts are locked and the band device is positioned around tissue within the patient'"'"'s body.

19. The gastric bypass band device as recited in claim 18, wherein said angled side faces of said lateral catches are angled at 36 degrees or less.

20. The band device as recited in claim 18 further comprising an elongate member formed of a expansion-resistant material and having first and second ends, the elongate member extending through the expansion-resistant section and beyond the first and second ends of expansion-resistant section into the male and female latch parts, the first and second ends of the elongate member coupling the male and female latch parts to the first and second ends of the expansion-resistant section.

21. A surgical band device that is laparoscopically implantable within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

a flexible expansion-resistant section having first and second ends, the expansion-resistant section having a flat face extending along its length between the first and second ends, the expansion-resistant section being of uniform cross-section between the first and second ends; and

a lockable latch divided into two parts wherein a male part is coupled to the first end of the expansion-resistant section and co-extensive with the expansion-resistant section, and a female part is coupled to the second end of the expansion-resistant section and co-extensive with the expansion-resistant section;

the female part including an exterior body having an interior lumen, the male part being encloseably insertable into the interior lumen, the exterior body having side through-openings communicating with the lumen, the lumen including a front opening, wherein the opening is lined with an inwardly-beveled face;

the male part including two lateral prongs extending from a prong body, the prong body having an outwardly-beveled face, the lateral prongs extending forward of the prong body and ending in two corresponding lateral catches, the lateral catches including angled side faces for engaging with the lumen of the female part, the lateral catches further engaging in a lockable one-way engagement with the side openings of the female part when the male and female parts are fully engaged and wherein upon full engagement, the outwardly-beveled face of the male part mates with the inwardly beveled face of the female part; and

wherein both the male and female latch parts have a predetermined longitudinal curvature when the latch parts are unlocked so that upon locking the latch parts, the lockable latch and the expansion-resistant section form a closed loop that achieves a radial shape aligning the longitudinally curved latch with the flat face along an inside diameter surface of the closed loop consisting of both the flat face surface of the expansion-resistant section and a longitudinally curved latch surface of the lockable latch, wherein the latch is positioned along the closed loop between the first and second ends of the expansion-resistant section, and wherein the expansion-resistant section having a longitudinally extending configuration along its length when the latch parts are unlocked and the surgical band device is fed laparoscopically through tissue within the patient'"'"'s body and a radial shape configuration along its length when the latch parts are locked and the surgical band device is positioned around tissue within the patient'"'"'s body.

22. The band device as recited in claim 21 further comprising an elongate member formed of a expansion-resistant material and having first and second ends, the elongate member extending through the expansion-resistant section along its length and beyond the first and second ends of expansion-resistant section into the male and female latch parts, the first and second ends of the elongate member coupling the male and female latch parts to the first and second ends of the expansion-resistant section.