Pancreatic exocrine secretion diversion apparatus and method

• US 8,617,095 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ReShape LifeSciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EnteroMedics, Inc. (ReShape LifeSciences, Inc.)
• Inventors: Knudson, Mark B., Conrad, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAND, MELANIE JO
• Application Number:
  US12/898,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20110021968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 604 8- 10, 623/23.64, 623/23.65, 623/23.68
• US Class Current: 604/9
• 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 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treating a patient'"'"'s health condition by diverting pancreatic exocrine secretions include a flow diverter of material compatible with chronic residence within a small intestine of the patient. The flow diverter has a cover end and a discharge end. The flow diverter is sized to be placed within the small intestine with the discharge end placed distally from said cover end and with said flow diverter further sized so permit passage of chyme through the small intestine and past the flow diverter. The cover end is sized to cover a discharge papilla of the pancreatic duct. The diverter is adapted to divert at least a portion of pancreatic exocrine secretion from the papilla to the distal discharge end.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating a health condition susceptible to treatment by reduction of nutrient absorption, said apparatus comprising:

a flow diverter comprising;

a flap of material having;

a) a front and a back surface separated by left and right side edges, b) a closed cover end and a discharge end, wherein the cover end comprises a flange that surrounds the upper end of the cover end and longitudinally surrounds the left and right side edges, c) biodegradable material compatible with chronic residence within a small intestine of a patient;

said flow diverter sized to be placed within said small intestine with said discharge end placed distally from said cover end and with said flow diverter further sized to permit passage of chyme through said small intestine and past said flow diverter;

said cover end sized to cover a discharge location of pancreatic exocrine secretions into a small intestine of said patient and adapted to be attached to a wall of the small intestine at said discharge location, wherein said front surface of said flap of material opposes said discharge location of said small intestine;

said diverter adapted to divert at least a portion of pancreatic exocrine secretion from said discharge location to said distal discharge end with said front surface of said flap of material opposing said discharge location of said small intestine and defining there between a flow path in fluid flow communication with said discharge location with said flow path in surface contact with a length of said small intestine between said discharge location and said discharge end.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said material of said diverter is at least partially permeable to said pancreatic exocrine secretion to permit a portion of the secretions to pass through the material of the flow diverter.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said diverter includes a plurality of holes through a wall of said diverter along a length of said diverter.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diverter is a flap of material sized to extend distally to said discharge location papilla, and with side edges unattached to said wall of said small intestine, with opposing surfaces of said diverter and said wall of said small intestine between said sides defining a flow conduit.

5. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of the flap is adapted so that the discharge end terminates in the duodenum or jejunum.

6. A method for treating a health condition susceptible to treatment by reduction of nutrient absorption, comprising:

positioning an apparatus of claim 1 in a small intestine of the patient with a cover end positioned over a discharge location of pancreatic exocrine secretion into said small intestine, and a discharge end positioned distally to said discharge location, wherein said front surface of said flap of material opposes said discharge location of said small intestine and defines there between a flow path in fluid flow communication with said discharge location with said flow path in surface contact with a length of said small intestine between said discharge location and said discharge end, and

securing said cover end to said small intestine at said discharge location with the flange.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said side edges are secured to said wall of said small intestine continuously along a length of said side edges.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of positioning involves delivering the apparatus of claim 1 endoscopically.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of securing the cover end comprises suturing the flange to the wall of the small intestine.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of securing the cover end comprising attaching the flange to the wall of the small intestine with bioadhesive.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of securing comprises crimping the flange to the wall of the small intestine.