Magnetic Sphincter Bead Loop for Reflux Control and Food Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Biological lumens such as the esophagus suffer from compromised functionality due to conditions like GERD, where the lower esophageal sphincter fails to maintain a pressure difference, leading to reflux symptoms, and conventional treatments involve invasive surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
An implantable sphincter augmentation device with a plurality of beads and links, utilizing rare-earth permanent magnets to provide bimodal circumferential restriction force, allowing controlled expansion and contraction to maintain the esophageal sphincter's functionality while preventing reflux.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional surgical procedures (fundoplication, suturing) are used to treat GERD, then the lower esophageal sphincter function is improved, but the treatment complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical surgical procedures (fundoplication, suturing) with a magnetic field-based system. Permanent magnets embedded in the sphincter tissue interact with externally applied magnetic fields to control sphincter opening and closing, eliminating the need for complex surgical reconstruction while maintaining reliable anti-reflux function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces permanent magnets as intermediary elements within the sphincter tissue. These magnets serve as mediators between the external magnetic field control system and the biological tissue, enabling non-invasive control of sphincter function without direct mechanical manipulation or complex surgical interventions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the lower esophageal sphincter is made tighter to prevent reflux, then the reflux prevention capability is improved, but the ability to allow normal food passage is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of sphincter tone through magnetic field modulation. The permanent magnets within the sphincter respond to varying external magnetic field strengths, allowing the sphincter to dynamically adjust its opening size - maintaining high tone for reflux prevention while enabling controlled opening for food passage when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the magnetic field parameter (strength/intensity) to control sphincter function. By varying the external magnetic field strength, the magnetic attraction between magnets is adjusted, thereby controlling the sphincter's constriction force - strong fields for reflux prevention, weak or zero fields for food passage.
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
The device effectively prevents reflux by maintaining the esophageal sphincter in a closed state while allowing normal passage of food, reducing the need for invasive surgeries and addressing GERD symptoms.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing rare-earth permanent magnets to provide bimodal circumferential restriction force
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a plurality of interconnection elements. Each bead includes a housing and a magnet. Each interconnection element includes a main body extending between a pair of ends, and a pair of heads each positioned at a respective end and received within a bead. The beads and interconnection elements are sized and configured to form a loop configured to transition between constricted and expanded configurations. The apparatus is configured such that, when the loop is in the expanded configuration, a first head of a first interconnection element is received within a first bead and is spaced apart from a first centerline of the first bead by a first distance, and a second head of a second interconnection element is received within a second bead and is spaced apart from a second centerline of the second bead by a second distance.