399results about "Oesophagi" patented technology

A device for performing one or more functions in a gastrointestinal tract of a patient includes an anchoring member and at least one actuator, sensor, or combination of both coupled with the anchoring device. The anchoring device is adapted to maintain at least part of the device within a pyloric portion of the patient's stomach and to intermittently engage, without directly attaching to, stomach tissue. Actuators perform any suitable function, such as transmitting energy to tissue, acting as a sleeve to reduce nutrient absorption, occupying space in the stomach, eluting a drug and / or the like. Sensors may be adapted to sense any suitable patient characteristic within the patient's gastrointestinal tract, such as pH, temperature, bile content, nutrient content, fats, sugars, alcohol, opiates, drugs, analytes, electrolytes and / or hemoglobin.

A device for inducing weight loss in a patient includes a tubular prosthesis positionable at the gastro-esophageal junction region, preferably below the z-line. In a method for inducing weight loss, the prosthesis is placed such that an opening at its proximal end receives masticated food from the esophagus, and such that the masticated food passes through the pouch and into the stomach via an opening in its distal end.

Method and apparatus for limiting absorption of food products in specific parts of the digestive system is presented. A gastrointestinal implant device is anchored in the stomach and extends beyond the ligament of Treitz. All food exiting the stomach is funneled through the device. The gastrointestinal device includes an anchor for anchoring the device to the stomach and a flexible sleeve. When implanted within the intestine, the sleeve can limit the absorption of nutrients, delay the mixing of chyme with digestive enzymes, altering hormonal triggers, providing negative feedback, and combinations thereof. The anchor is collapsible for endoscopic delivery and removal.

Methods and apparatus for delivering an implant device within the digestive system of an animal are presented. An delivery device includes an outer sheath, or container, for storing a proximal portion of the implant device. The outer sheath is moveable relative to the stored portion of the implant device to release the proximal portion from within the outer sheath. The delivery device also includes an inner sheath defining a lumen therein that extends distal to the outer sheath, a moveable element adapted to secure the distal end of the implant to the inner sheath, and a release mechanism coupled to the moveable element for releasing the distal end of the implant. The device also includes a atraumatic tip, or ball, coupled at its distal end to facilitate guiding the delivery device through the gastrointestinal tract.

Method and apparatus for limiting absorption of food products in specific parts of the digestive system is presented. A gastrointestinal implant device is anchored in the stomach and extends beyond the ligament of Treitz. All food exiting the stomach is funneled through the device. The gastrointestinal device includes an anchor for anchoring the device to the stomach and a flexible sleeve to limit absorption of nutrients in the duodenum. The anchor is collapsible for endoscopic delivery and removal.

A solution is provided for modifying the location at which bodily fluids interact with nutrients in a gastrointestinal tract having a conduit with a first end and a second end. The first end is configured to divert bodily fluids from an entrance within a gastrointestinal tract to a location downstream from the entrance. The solution also provides for a means for attaching the second end to the entrance.

Methods and devices to urge two gastrointestinal organs toward one another by penetrating through a first wall of a first gastrointestinal organ with an elongate structure comprising at least two expandable elements slideable along the elongate structure, penetrating through a second gastrointestinal organ with the elongate structure, expanding a first expandable element of the elongate structure adjacent a first wall of the first gastrointestinal organ, expanding a second expandable element adjacent a second wall of the second gastrointestinal organ, urging the first and second gastrointestinal organs together, optionally applying an adhesive material to the region between the two gastrointestinal organs.

The present invention provides devices and methods for attachment of an endolumenal gastrointestinal device, such as an artificial stoma device, a gastrointestinal bypass sleeve or other therapeutic or diagnostic device, within a patient's digestive tract. In one application of the invention, an endolumenal bypass sleeve is removeably attached in the vicinity of the gastroesophageal junction to treat obesity and / or its comorbidities, such as diabetes. The bypass sleeve may be at least partially deployed by eversion.

Methods and systems for delivering or placing a gastrointestinal implant device into a mammal. The gastrointestinal implant device can be used to limit absorption of food products in specific parts of the digestive system and can include a gastrointestinal sleeve having an anchor portion and a barrier or sleeve portion. The methods include endoluminal delivery of the device.

Methods and devices to externally create a restriction on the stomach are described. In some embodiments, the devices are contoured to fit the stomach and can be further anchored to the stomach. In further embodiments, the degree of deployment of the extragastric restriction device is controllable after implantation. In other embodiments, specialized wires, catheters, ports, and trocars specific for placement of extragastric restriction devices are presented. In still further embodiments, systems are described in which adjustability of the devices is provided along with sensing and actuating ability.

A patient is provided with an increased sense of satiety by increasing resistance to the outflow of food from the stomach and through the intestines. Stomach emptying may be slowed with devices implantable within the gastrointestinal tract below the stomach. Implants are preferably removable and can include artificial strictures that may be adjustable to vary the rate of stomach emptying. Slowing gastric emptying may induce satiety for a longer period and may therefore reduce food consumption. Many of the embodiments include intestinal liners or sleeves, but they need not. The resistor concept may be applied to a simple anchor and resistor without a long liner.

The invention relates to improved means for preventing eversion and subsequent obstruction of thin-walled, floppy gastrointestinal liners implanted in the digestive tract of an animal. The implantable devices include an anchor adapted for attachment within a natural body lumen and a thin-walled, floppy sleeve open at both ends and defining a lumen therebetween. A substantial length of the sleeve has material characteristics that result in the sleeve being prone to eversion in the presence of retrograde pressures. Exemplary eversion-resistant features provide an increased stiffness and / or an increased friction coefficient between the anchor and the proximal end of the sleeve to resist eversion. In some embodiments, the eversion-resistant feature includes an anti-buckling element, such as a wire coupled along the substantial length of the sleeve.

An endoscopic device separates ingested food from gastric fluids or gastric fluids and digestive enzymes, to treat obesity. In a particular embodiment a gastric bypass stent comprises a tubular member and two or more stent members defining a lumen. The tubular member has a substantially liquid impervious coating or covering and one or more lateral openings to permit one-way liquid flow.

A device for delivering and deploying a radially expandable prosthesis is disclosed and comprises a proximal prosthesis release mechanism having a first resistance and a distal prosthesis release mechanism having a second resistance. The device further comprises an actuation mechanism for actuating the distal and proximal release mechanisms in a single coordinated movement and a biasing compensator for regulating the relationship between the first resistance and the second resistance. Additional aspects of the invention include devices and methods for delivering and deploying a radially expandable prosthesis.

The invention relates to improved means for preventing buckling and therefore eversion of thin-walled, flexible, floppy gastrointestinal liners implanted in the digestive tract of an animal. The implantable devices include an anchor adapted for attachment within a natural body lumen and a thin-walled, floppy sleeve open at both ends and defining a lumen therebetween. A substantial length of the sleeve has material characteristics that result in the sleeve being prone to buckling and therefore eversion in the presence of retrograde pressures. Exemplary anti-buckling mechanisms provide an increased stiffness and / or an increased friction coefficient between the anchor and the proximal end of the sleeve to resist buckling and therefore eversion. In some embodiments, the anti-buckling mechanism is as a wire coupled along the substantial length of the sleeve.

Implants for treatment of obesity may be placed within the stomach and / or esophagus or around the outside surface of the stomach and / or esophagus. The implants comprise at least a portion constructed of a shape memory material. The implants are thus adapted to be implanted in a deformed shape, and then to be transformed through the application of activation energy into a memorized shape. The shape and / or size transformation induces a change in shape of the stomach and / or esophagus, thus altering the normal digestive path of food entering the patient's gastrointestinal tract.

Medical stents having valves and their methods of manufacture are disclosed. The valve may be basket-shaped and formed integral to a medical stent to prevent undesirable backflow across the valve. The valve can be formed by converting the braided wires of the stent, by providing elastomeric material onto a mold or fixture to form an elastomeric valve, or by attaching a gasket valve. The valve is normally closed but configured to allow easy opening in response to a predetermined condition.

The present application provides devices and methods for inducing weight loss. In particular, the present application provides devices which are secured in the stomach or external to the stomach to reduce digestion and / or absorption of food in accordance with the methods of the invention

In one embodiment, a pressure sensing system is described which transmits data to a patient management system external to a patient. The pressure sensing system can rigidly couple to an implantable port or flexibly couple to an implantable port. In some embodiments, the pressure sensing system communicates with a hydraulic actuating system. In some embodiments, the pressure sensing system is implantable and comprises a circuit capable of wireless transmission through the skin of a patient to an external receiver which is part of a patient management system. A patient management system is described which receives up to date as well as historical data from the pressure sensing system and manages the these data in the context of a patient database. In some embodiments, an extragastric balloon is described in which the balloon is contoured to fit a portion of the stomach but not circumscribe the stomach. In some embodiments, electroactive polymers or nitinol structures are utilized to create restriction on the stomach in response to food boluses entering the stomach. In some embodiments, a nasogastric connector is described with two expandable structures translateable toward and away from one another so as to create pressure between two organ lumens when brought toward each other and fixed with respect to one another.

In one embodiment, a pressure sensing system is described which transmits data to a patient management system external to a patient. The pressure sensing system can rigidly couple to an implantable port or flexibly couple to an implantable port. In some embodiments, the pressure sensing system communicates with a hydraulic actuating system. In some embodiments, the pressure sensing system is implantable and comprises a circuit capable of wireless transmission through the skin of a patient to an external receiver which is part of a patient management system. A patient management system is described which receives up to date as well as historical data from the pressure sensing system and manages the these data in the context of a patient database. In some embodiments, an extragastric balloon is described in which the balloon is contoured to fit a portion of the stomach but not circumscribe the stomach. In some embodiments, electroactive polymers or nitinol structures are utilized to create restriction on the stomach in response to food boluses entering the stomach. In some embodiments, a nasogastric connector is described with two expandable structures translateable toward and away from one another so as to create pressure between two organ lumens when brought toward each other and fixed with respect to one another.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body includes an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end, a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device, and at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device. The distal actuator is adapted to promote opening of the pod. A method involves advancing a pod at the distal end of an elongate catheter to the location within the body and activating an actuator coupled with the pod and / or the medical device to cause the pod to open. Opening the pod releases the medical device.

An apparatus and method comprising at least one intragastric member comprising a curvilinear axis which extends about and along a central axis of an intragastric device or artificial bezoar made of a digestive-resistant or substantially indigestible material that is introduced into the gastric lumen of a mammal for the treatment of obesity. One or more intragastric members are loaded onto an outer delivery tube in a partially compacted first configuration and delivered to an overtube. The overtube includes a proximal end, a distal end and a main lumen configured to receive the intragastric member in the first configuration for delivery to the gastric lumen wherein the intragastric member is expanded to a second configuration.

A prosthetic device is described that is positionable within the gastro-esophageal junction region of a patient. The prosthetic device includes a proximal opening and a distal orifice that is adjustable in size prior to and / or following implantation. During use, the prosthetic device is attached to tissue of the gastro-esophageal junction region of the patient, with the device positioned such that food ingested by the patient passes from the esophagus through the proximal opening into the interior of the prosthetic device, and eventually exits the prosthetic device via the distal opening.