Adjustable gastrointestinal bifurcation (AGB) for reduced absorption of unhealthy food
First Claim
1. A device for adjustably reducing absorption of nutrients from consumed food using an Adjustable Gastrointestinal Bifurcation (AGB) comprising:
- a first opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this first opening passes through a first food-flow route;
a second opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this second opening passes through a second food-flow route, and wherein there is less absorption of nutrients from food that passes through the second food-flow route than if the same food were to pass through the first food-flow route, wherein the upstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route form a bifurcation of the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract, and wherein downstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route reconverge at a downstream location in the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract; and
a flow-control member, wherein this flow-control member is configured to be implanted within the person'"'"'s body, wherein this flow-control member can post-operatively and reversibly block the first opening, wherein this flow-control member can post-operatively and reversibly block the second opening, wherein the ability to selectively block the first opening or the second opening at different times enables the flow-control member to post-operatively and reversibly adjust the types and/or amounts of food that are sent into the first opening to pass through the first food-flow route versus the types and/or amounts of food that are sent into the second opening to pass through the second food-flow route, and wherein this flow-control member enables this food flow adjustment to be done in a minimally-invasive or non-invasive manner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention is a device and method for adjustably and reversibly reducing nutrient absorption from food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract using an Adjustable Gastrointestinal Bifurcation (AGB) and a flow-control member. The Adjustable Gastrointestinal Bifurcation (AGB) includes: a first food-flow route (comprising a first branch of the AGB) through the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract wherein there is normal absorption of nutrients from food; and a second food-flow route (comprising a second branch of the AGB) through the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract wherein there is reduced absorption of nutrients from food. The flow-control member adjusts the types and/or amounts of food which are diverted through the second food-flow route versus the first food-flow route.
1075 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A device for adjustably reducing absorption of nutrients from consumed food using an Adjustable Gastrointestinal Bifurcation (AGB) comprising:
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a first opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this first opening passes through a first food-flow route; a second opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this second opening passes through a second food-flow route, and wherein there is less absorption of nutrients from food that passes through the second food-flow route than if the same food were to pass through the first food-flow route, wherein the upstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route form a bifurcation of the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract, and wherein downstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route reconverge at a downstream location in the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract; and a flow-control member, wherein this flow-control member is configured to be implanted within the person'"'"'s body, wherein this flow-control member can post-operatively and reversibly block the first opening, wherein this flow-control member can post-operatively and reversibly block the second opening, wherein the ability to selectively block the first opening or the second opening at different times enables the flow-control member to post-operatively and reversibly adjust the types and/or amounts of food that are sent into the first opening to pass through the first food-flow route versus the types and/or amounts of food that are sent into the second opening to pass through the second food-flow route, and wherein this flow-control member enables this food flow adjustment to be done in a minimally-invasive or non-invasive manner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A device for selectively reducing absorption of nutrients from selected types and/or amounts of food using an Adjustable Gastrointestinal Bifurcation (AGB) comprising:
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a first opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this first opening passes through a first food-flow route; a second opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this second opening passes through a second food-flow route, and wherein there is less absorption of nutrients from food that passes through the second food-flow route than if the same food were to pass through the first food-flow route, wherein the upstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route form a bifurcation of the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract, and wherein downstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route reconverge at a downstream location in the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract; and a food-consumption sensor; and a flow-control member, wherein this flow-control member is configured to be implanted without the person'"'"'s body, wherein this flow-control member can post-operatively and reversibly block the first opening, wherein this flow-control member can post-operatively and reversibly block the second opening, and wherein this flow-control member uses information from the food-consumption sensor to automatically send healthy types and/or amounts of food into the first opening to pass through the first food-flow route and to automatically send unhealthy types and/or amounts of food into the second opening to pass through the second food-flow route.
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19. A method for selectively reducing absorption of nutrients from selected types and/or amounts of food using an Adjustable Gastrointestinal Bifurcation (AGB) comprising:
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creating a first opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this first opening passes through a first food-flow route; creating a second opening into which food passing through a person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract can enter, wherein food that enters this second opening passes through a second food-flow route, wherein there is less absorption of nutrients from food that passes through the second food-flow route than if the same food were to pass through the first food-flow route;
wherein the upstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route form a bifurcation of the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract, and wherein downstream ends of the first food-flow route and the second food-flow route reconverge at a downstream location in the person'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract; andusing an implanted flow-control member to post-operatively and reversibly block the first opening or block the second opening at different times to adjust the types and/or amounts of food that are sent into the first opening to pass through the first food-flow route versus the types and/or amounts of food that are sent into the second opening to pass through the second food-flow route, wherein this adjustment is done in a minimally-invasive or non-invasive manner.
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Specification