Devices and methods for treatment of obesity

• US 8,001,974 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vibrynt, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vibrynt, Inc.
• Inventors: Friedmann, Josef L., Lee, Crystine, Bender, Theodore M., Makower, Joshua, Uemura, Shuji, Acosta, Pablo G., Shiu, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENDOZA, MICHAEL G
• Application Number:
  US12/215,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 606/119, 606/151, 606/192, 606/200, 606/202, 606/203, 606/198, 600/37
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0467 Instruments for cutting sutures surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0474 Knot pushers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0475 using sutures having a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks for applying suture anchors A61B2017/0409; for applying wound clamps A61B17/10; for applying ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/392 Detecting gastrointestinal contractions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/416 the spleen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/003 : inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0073 : in the abdominal cavity, e.g. not attached to the stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 : of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

Methods, devices, tools and assemblies for treating a patient to effect weight loss. One method embodiment involves passing a device including an expandable member in a collapsed configuration and a buoyancy member through an opening in the skin of a patient and into the abdominal cavity of the patient, and anchoring at least a portion of the expandable member, relative to at least one structure in the abdominal cavity. Devices including at least one expandable member and at least one buoyancy member are provided.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient, said method comprising:

making an incision in the skin of the patient;

establishing a delivery tract, from outside of the patient, through the incision, subcutaneous tissues and abdominal wall to provide an access opening into the abdominal cavity, including inserting a cannula from outside of the patient and dilating an opening from said incision through the abdominal wall of the patient, so that a distal end portion of said cannula extends into the abdominal cavity and a proximal end of said cannula extends out of the patient;

inserting a device temporarily mounted to a distal end portion of a device delivery tool through the opening and the delivery tract and into the abdominal cavity of the patient; and

attaching the device to the abdominal wall at a location adjacent said distal end portion of said device delivery tool, by operation of said device delivery tool at a proximal end portion of said device delivery tool, outside the body of the patient,

wherein the device comprises an expandable main body portion, said method further comprises expanding said expandable main body portion after said inserting the device into the abdominal cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to perform at least one of:

prevention of expansion of the stomach of the patient into a spaced occupied by the device in the abdominal cavity; and

compression of a portion of the stomach.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a buoyancy member to increase an overall buoyancy of the device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising dismounting the device from said device delivery tool and removing said device delivery tool from the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting an endoscope into at least one of said device delivery tool and said incision, and directly visualizing performance of at least a portion of at least one of said establishing a delivery tract, inserting a device and attaching the device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising grasping at least one tab mounted to said device, and performing at least one of pushing, pulling or twisting forces on the at least one tab to position or orient the device.

7. A method of treating a patient, said method comprising:

making an incision in the skin of the patient;

establishing a delivery tract, from outside of the patient, through the incision, subcutaneous tissues and abdominal wall to provide an access opening into the abdominal cavity, including inserting a cannula from outside of the patient so that a distal end portion of said cannula extends into the abdominal cavity and a proximal end portion of said cannula extends out of the patient;

passing a device through said cannula and into the abdominal cavity of the patient, wherein the device includes at least one reinforced attachment tab extending from an expandable main body portion thereof;

positioning and expanding the expandable main body portion so that said at least one reinforced attachment tab approximates an interior surface of the abdominal wall of the patient; and

attaching said at least one attachment tab to the interior surface of the abdominal wall, by operation of a proximal end portion of a device delivery tool, at a location removed from an opening through the abdominal wall established by said delivery tract.

8. The method of claim 7 performed without puncturing or incising the stomach wall or any portion or layer of the stomach wall.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising inserting a buoyancy member into said expandable member after said passing a device through said cannula and into the abdominal cavity.