Apparatus for adjustment and sensing of gastric band pressure

• US 8,066,629 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Dlugos, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): LACYK, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US11/673,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20070235083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 600 29- 32, 600/37, 600/593, 128897-899, 604 27- 28, 604/909, 604/97.02, 607/41, 606139-141, 606/157, 606201-203, 606/213, 606/228, 606/151
• US Class Current: 600/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12013 for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1355 Automated control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0003 Apparatus for the treatment of obesity; Anti-eating devices surgical instruments or methods for treatment of obesity, devices specially adapted therefor A61B17/00; hollow or tubular parts of organs A61F2/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0053 remotely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0056 using injection ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14533 cam actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/073 Syringe, piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14586 pressurised by means of a flexible diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31581 performed by rotationally moving or pivoting actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection lever or handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/486 Indicating injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3584 Inflatable article [e.g., tire filling chuck and/or stem]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85954 Closed circulating system

Abstract

An apparatus is operable to communicate fluid. An exemplary apparatus comprises a housing and a fluid reservoir within the housing. An actuator is operationally engaged with the fluid reservoir. The actuator is operable to effect communication of fluid from or into the fluid reservoir. A sensor is in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir. The sensor is operable to sense a physical parameter of fluid that is in communication with the fluid reservoir as the fluid is communicated from or into the fluid reservoir. An indicator is in communication with the sensor. The indicator is operable to display the physical parameter sensed by the sensor. The apparatus may be used to inject fluid into or withdraw fluid from an implanted gastric band system or for a variety of other uses. Fluid pressure may be adjusted and sensed, and resulting data may be displayed, by a single, integrated instrument.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communicating fluid, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing, wherein the housing defines an interior portion contained therein, wherein the interior portion is positioned entirely within the housing;

(b) a fluid reservoir positioned within the interior portion of the housing, wherein the fluid reservoir is operable to hold a volume of fluid therein;

(c) an actuator operationally engaged with the fluid reservoir, wherein the actuator is operable to effect communication of fluid from or into the fluid reservoir, wherein the actuator is positioned within the interior portion of the housing such that the actuator is confined within the interior portion;

(d) a sensor in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir, wherein the sensor is operable to sense a physical parameter of fluid that is in communication with the fluid reservoir as the fluid is communicated from or into the fluid reservoir; and

(e) an indicator in communication with the sensor, wherein the indicator is operable to display the physical parameter sensed by the sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir is defined by a syringe barrel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises a syringe plunger.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the actuator further comprises a pivoting member operationally engaged with the syringe plunger.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a handle portion and a barrel portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the fluid reservoir is located within the barrel portion of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a display screen integrally engaged with the housing, wherein the display screen is integrated with a slanted portion of the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an electric motor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the actuator further comprises a screw gear in communication with the electric motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the fluid reservoir comprises a bellows reservoir, wherein the screw gear is operable to compress or expand the bellows reservoir.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir comprises a bellows reservoir.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a luer interface feature, wherein the fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the luer interface feature.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a needle engaged with the luer interface feature.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user input feature configured to receive entry of one or more fluid parameter values, wherein the user input feature is engaged with the housing.

15. An apparatus for communicating fluid, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing defining a syringe receiving portion and a handle portion, wherein the syringe receiving portion is configured to receive a syringe barrel and a syringe plunger;

(b) an actuator mechanism, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a stem feature, wherein the actuator mechanism is configured to engage with a syringe plunger received by the housing such that the stem feature is coaxially aligned with the syringe plunger, wherein the stem feature is movable from a first proximal position to a second distal position, wherein the stem feature of the actuator mechanism is operable to distally urge a syringe plunger within a syringe barrel, when the syringe barrel and syringe plunger are received by the syringe receiving portion, by moving the stem feature from the first proximal position to the second distal position, wherein the stem feature of the actuator mechanism is operable to proximally urge the syringe plunger within the syringe barrel, when the syringe barrel and syringe plunger are received by the syringe receiving portion, by moving the stem feature from the second distal position to the first proximal position;

(c) a sensor fixed relative to the housing, wherein the sensor is operable to sense a physical parameter associated with the communication of fluid from or into the syringe barrel; and

(d) a display in communication with the sensor, wherein the display is operable to display data based on the physical parameter sensed by the sensor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the display is integrally engaged with the housing.

18. An apparatus for communicating fluid, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a first member and an opposingly facing second member, wherein the first member and the second member are contained within the housing, wherein the second member is configured to axially advance toward the first member;

(c) a fluid reservoir within the housing, wherein the fluid reservoir has a variable volume, wherein the fluid reservoir is held between a first plane and a second plane, wherein the first plane is defined by the first member and the second plane is defined by the second member, wherein the fluid reservoir is in communication with the first member, wherein the fluid reservoir is in further communication with the second member;

(d) a reservoir engagement mechanism engaged with the fluid reservoir, wherein the reservoir engagement mechanism is operable to selectively vary the volume of the fluid reservoir to expel fluid from or withdraw fluid into the fluid reservoir by compressing or expanding the fluid reservoir between the first member and the second member, respectively;

(e) a sensor operable to sense a physical parameter associated with the communication of fluid from or into the fluid reservoir; and

(f) a display in communication with the sensor, wherein the display is operable to render data associated with the physical parameter sensed by the sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the reservoir engagement mechanism comprises a motor.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a luer compatible feature in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir, wherein the sensor is engaged with the luer compatible feature.