Methods and devices to curb appetite and/or to reduce food intake
First Claim
1. A small intestinal insert comprisingan elongated member including a proximal end and a distal end and at least one angled portion having a curved longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the curved longitudinal axis pre-shaped with a configuration that mimics at least one angled target site within the small intestine;
- wherein at least a portion of the elongated member is formed of a biodegradable material, and wherein the angled portion comprises a shape memory alloy portion and a biodegradable portion; and
wherein the elongated member is configured initially to sit stably within the targeted site, and then, following degradation of the biodegradable material, to destabilize such that it becomes unseated from the target site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to devices and methods of operating the devices that contribute to curbing appetite and/or reducing food intake. In some embodiments, the methods and devices of the present invention include as intestinal/duodenal insert comprising an elongated member with at least one flow reduction element that can cause the stimulation of one or more biological signals of satiety. Some embodiments of the inserted device are anchored at the duodenal site by an anchoring member residing in the stomach, other embodiments of the device are stabilized at a targeted site by appropriate dimensions of length as well as one or more angled portions of the device that correspond to angled portions of the targeted site in the dodenum. Embodiments of the device exert effects by virtue of physical presence, as well as by more active forms of intervention, including release of bioactive materials and electrical stimulation of neurons.
141 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A small intestinal insert comprising
an elongated member including a proximal end and a distal end and at least one angled portion having a curved longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the curved longitudinal axis pre-shaped with a configuration that mimics at least one angled target site within the small intestine; -
wherein at least a portion of the elongated member is formed of a biodegradable material, and wherein the angled portion comprises a shape memory alloy portion and a biodegradable portion; and wherein the elongated member is configured initially to sit stably within the targeted site, and then, following degradation of the biodegradable material, to destabilize such that it becomes unseated from the target site. - 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)
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Specification