Endoscopic Gastrointestinal Constriction via Spreading Block Barrier

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, such as PTL 1 and PTL 2, involve invasive procedures like tissue removal or scarring, which can lead to damage of the muscular layer and potential complications like perforation and bleeding, highlighting the need for a less invasive and effective method to constrict the gastrointestinal tract.

Innovation Solution

A gastrointestinal-tract constricting method involving the insertion of an endoscope to form a spreading block between the mucosa basal layer and the muscular layer using a sodium hyaluronate solution, followed by the injection of ethanol to damage the mucosa basal layer, thereby creating a constrictive effect without excessively damaging the muscular layer, utilizing a balloon catheter or polylactate sheet to form a spreading block and control ethanol infiltration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If tissue removal or scarring methods are used to constrict the gastrointestinal tract, then the constrictive effect is achieved, but the muscular layer is excessively damaged leading to perforation and bleeding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstrictive effectVSAvoidmuscular layer damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The gastrointestinal tract wall is segmented into distinct layers (mucosa, submucosa, muscular layer), and the invention selectively targets only the mucosa and submucosa for constriction while preserving the muscular layer through controlled substance infiltration limited to specific depth zones

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A spreading block acts as an intermediary barrier between the substance and the muscular layer, controlling substance infiltration depth and preventing direct contact with the muscular layer, thereby achieving constriction without excessive damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Shape

If invasive procedures like tissue removal are performed, then the gastrointestinal tract can be constricted, but the risk of complications like perforation and bleeding increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegastrointestinal tract constrictionVSAvoidrisk of complications

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spreading block is formed in advance before substance infiltration, creating a pre-established barrier that guides and limits substance distribution, ensuring safe constriction without penetrating the muscular layer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The spreading block serves as a cushioning layer that absorbs and distributes the substance, preventing direct impact on the muscular layer and reducing the risk of perforation and bleeding complications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a spreading block is formed to prevent substance infiltration into the muscular layer, then muscular layer damage is reduced, but the complexity of the procedure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemuscular layer protectionVSAvoidprocedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spreading block serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a barrier to prevent substance infiltration into the muscular layer, provides a contact surface for uniform substance distribution, and maintains structural integrity during the procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The substance is administered in a controlled state (liquid or foam form) that can be precisely regulated in terms of viscosity, expansion ratio, and infiltration pressure, allowing fine-tuned control over the constriction process while maintaining procedural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method effectively constricts the gastrointestinal tract with minimal invasiveness, preventing excessive constriction and muscular layer damage, thereby reducing the risk of complications like perforation and bleeding, while promoting scar formation to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Implementation Method 1

forming a spreading block that blocks infiltration of a substance... the spreading block being formed along a circumferential direction of the gastrointestinal tract and between the mucosa basal layer and the muscular layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGel formation: Gel

Implementation Method 2

supplying the substance to a gap between the spreading block and the mucosa basal layer... a substance, which damages a mucosa basal layer of the gastrointestinal tract

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical damage: Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS10561489B2Gastrointestinal-tract constricting method

Publication Date: 2020.02.18 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

A gastrointestinal-tract constricting method includes: while observing the gastrointestinal tract by inserting an endoscope into the gastrointestinal tract, forming a spreading block that suppresses infiltration of a substance, which damages a mucosa basal layer of the gastrointestinal tract, into the muscular layer underlying the mucosa basal layer, the spreading block being formed along a circumferential direction of the gastrointestinal tract and between the mucosa basal layer and the muscular layer; and supplying the substance to a gap between the spreading block and the mucosa basal layer while forming a contact surface between the spreading block and the substance along the circumferential direction of the gastrointestinal tract.