Endoscope-Deployed Sleeve for Gastrointestinal Nutrient Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical methods for treating obesity are invasive and often lead to severe complications, such as organ failure and dumping syndrome, and lack effective minimally invasive alternatives for addressing obesity-related health issues like type II diabetes.

Innovation Solution

A medical apparatus comprising a delivery tube with a sleeve and anchoring component, designed for minimally invasive implantation via an endoscope, allowing full deployment across tortuous anatomy and partial isolation of nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract to treat obesity and associated health problems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional surgical procedures are used to treat obesity, then weight loss can be achieved, but severe complications such as organ failure and dumping syndrome occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment safetyVSAvoidcomplications
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The medical device is delivered through a delivery tube that is inserted into the working channel of an endoscope. The device is substantially fully inverted and contained within a lumen of the delivery tube during delivery, allowing minimally invasive access to the gastrointestinal tract while avoiding external incisions and reducing surgical complications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The delivery tube serves as an intermediary tool that enables the device to be delivered through the endoscope's working channel. This intermediary mechanism allows the device to reach the target location in the gastrointestinal tract without requiring direct surgical access, thereby improving safety and reducing complications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a delivery tube is designed to accommodate a fully inverted sleeve, then the device can be delivered through a medical scope, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeliverability via endoscopeVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeve is substantially fully inverted and contained within the lumen of the delivery tube, with the distal end of the sleeve at the proximal end of the delivery tube and the proximal end of the sleeve at the distal end of the delivery tube. This inverted configuration allows the device to be delivered through the endoscope's working channel in a compact form and then deployed in the correct orientation, simplifying the delivery mechanism while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The inverted sleeve is contained within the delivery tube lumen, creating a nested configuration that allows the device to fit through the constrained dimensions of the endoscope working channel. This nesting approach reduces the overall profile during delivery while maintaining full functionality upon deployment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Reliability

If the sleeve is fully deployed across tortuous anatomy, then effective nutrient isolation is achieved, but the delivery system must accommodate complex anatomical paths

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidanatomical adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The device is delivered in an inverted state through the delivery tube and then deployed by eversion, allowing it to dynamically adapt to tortuous anatomical paths. The inversion and eversion mechanism enables the device to navigate complex gastrointestinal geometry while maintaining the ability to achieve full deployment for effective nutrient isolation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2280669B1Medical apparatus and method of making the same
Publication Date: 2015.12.02 WL GORE & ASSOC INC
  • EP2280669B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2280669B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2280669B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

The invention relates to a medical apparatus (100) including a device (116) used in the treatment of weight loss, obesity and potentially other associated health problems, e.g., type Il diabetes. The device is used to impede absorption of nutrients within the gastrointestinal tract, i.e., bypassing a portion of the gastrointestinal tract. The medical apparatus enables implantation of the device using minimally invasive techniques, such a transesophageal approach under visualization. The device may be implanted via a working channel of a medical scope, e.g., an endoscope or in' combination with a medical scope.