VARIABLE SIZE INTRAGASTRIC IMPLANT DEVICES

• US 20120095492A1
• Filed: 10/12/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Babkes, Mitchell H., Snow, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,463,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/003 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/004 remotely adjustable

Abstract

Transoral obesity treatment devices and related methods for operation thereof are described which occupy space within a stomach and/or stimulate the stomach wall. The transoral obesity treatment devices and related methods are intended to assist a patient in maintaining a healthy body weight. Features of the devices include insertion transorally and without invasive surgery, without associated patient risks of invasive surgery, and without substantial patient discomfort. The life span of these devices may be material-dependent upon long-term survivability within an acidic stomach, but is intended to last one year or longer. The devices have the capacity to vary in size and are desirably self-actuating in that they change shape and/or volume using internal motors or actuators. The changing character of the devices helps prevent the person'"'"'s stomach from compensating for the implant, such as sometimes happens with static intragastric devices.

Claims

1. A system for an implantable device of a size too large to pass through an opening of a patient'"'"'s pylorus configured to be placed in a patient'"'"'s stomach transorally without surgery to treat and prevent obesity by applying a pressure to the patient'"'"'s stomach, comprising:

a central elongated body having an adjustable length;

two collapsible atraumatic feet on opposite ends of the elongated body, each foot configured to exert pressure on the patient'"'"'s stomach when in a deployed position; and

an actuator within the central elongated body configured to adjust the length of the body and simultaneously the distance between the atraumatic feet.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the two collapsible atraumatic feet comprise balloon-like structures.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the two collapsible atraumatic feet comprise an array of living hinges that may be unfolded to an elongated delivery configuration and folded outward to a deployed configuration.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the array of living hinges are in an X-shape.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an electronic motor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the actuator further comprises a control circuit board having a battery and a memory.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the actuator further comprises a control circuit board having a transceiver, and the system further includes a remote control for instructing the motor from outside the patient'"'"'s body.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the actuator further comprises a telescoping screw driven by the motor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a polymer element that is acid-activated to lengthen in a highly acidic environment, and the central elongated body includes through holes for exposing the polymer element to the stomach environment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the central elongated body comprises a series of telescoping tubular members having apertures along their lengths.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the atraumatic feet include uneven external surface stimulation features.

12. A system for an implantable device of a size too large to pass through an opening of a patient'"'"'s pylorus configured to be placed in a patient'"'"'s stomach transorally without surgery to treat and prevent obesity by occupying space inside the patient'"'"'s stomach, comprising:

an elastic balloon configured to be variably filled with stomach liquid; and

a body of the implantable device attached to the elastic balloon, the body configured to inflate and deflate the elastic balloon by transferring stomach liquid into and out of the elastic balloon; and

a peristaltic pumping device housed within the body of the implantable device configured to transfer the stomach liquid from outside the elastic balloon to inside the elastic balloon in a first mode of operation, and further configured to transfer the stomach liquid from inside the elastic balloon to outside the elastic balloon in a second mode of operation.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the body of the implantable device further houses a motor configured to operate the peristaltic pumping device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the motor rotates rollers that are in contact with a pair of flexible tubes that form a conduit between an external opening located outside the elastic balloon and an internal opening located within the inner cavity of the elastic balloon.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an aseptic ring configured to fit around a portion of the exterior of the body and contact the stomach liquid when the stomach liquid is inside the elastic balloon.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the device further comprises a control circuit board having a battery and a memory.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the device further comprises a control circuit board having a transceiver, and the system further includes a remote control for instructing the motor from outside the patient'"'"'s body.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the elastic balloon includes uneven external surface stimulation features.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the elastic balloon includes an aggregation of spheres to encourage rotation within the stomach.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the elastic balloon includes a plurality of outwardly projecting legs terminating in rounded or bulbous feet that encourage rotation within the stomach.