Resistive anti-obesity devices
Inventors
Levine, Andy H. • Lamport, Ronald B. • Melanson, David A. • Randle, Stuart A. • Fishman, Ezra S.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-7819836-B2
Publication Date
2010-10-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
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 or apertures that may be adjustable or elastic 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 sleeves or sleeves, but they need not. The resistor concept may be applied to a simple anchor and resistor without a long sleeve.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to resistive gastrointestinal implant devices and methods for treating obesity by increasing resistance to the outflow of chyme from the stomach. An anchor is retained in the pyloric orifice or distal to the pylorus, and a restrictive aperture is attached to the anchor to retard chyme outflow. The restrictive aperture expands substantially at a pressure of 50 inches of water or more while having an aperture diameter of about 5 mm or below when the water pressure is between 0 and 50 inches of water.
In another implementation, the invention uses a flexible, floppy sleeve attached to the anchor, where the sleeve extends into the intestine and defines a lumen through which chyme passes. A restricting aperture within the sleeve retards the outflow of chyme from the stomach and expands substantially at 50 inches of water or more. The restrictive aperture is specified with diameter behavior including about 5 mm or below at water pressures between 0 and 50 inches of water, with further pressure-dependent diameter openings described using quantitative thresholds.
The invention further includes methods of treating obesity by implanting the device within a gastrointestinal tract of an animal at or distal to the pylorus and resisting outflow of chyme with the restrictive aperture. In still another described gastrointestinal implant, aperture means within the intestine increase resistance to the outflow of chyme from the stomach, and anchoring means anchor within the gastrointestinal tract at the pyloric orifice or distal to the pylorus the aperture means. Dependent refinements describe additional configurations for the aperture and sleeve, including silicone and sleeve length constraints.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes four independent claims. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage focuses on an anchor or anchoring means positioned at the pyloric orifice or distal to the pylorus, a restrictive aperture or aperture means that retards chyme outflow and substantially expands at a water pressure of 50 inches of water or more, and a specified aperture diameter behavior of about 5 mm or below when water pressure is between 0 and 50 inches of water, with sleeve-based lumen configurations in some independent claims.
Pressure-responsive restrictive aperture with a defined diameter behavior
A restrictive aperture adapted to retard the outflow of chyme from the stomach, the aperture expanding substantially at a pressure of 50 inches of water or more, the diameter of the aperture being about 5 mm or below when the water pressure is between 0 and 50 inches of water.
Pyloric or distal-to-pylorus anchoring of an anchor
An anchor adapted to be retained in the pyloric orifice or distal to the pylorus, with the restrictive aperture attached to the anchor or with aperture means anchored at the pyloric orifice or distal to the pylorus.
Flexible, floppy sleeve defining a lumen through which chyme passes
A flexible, floppy sleeve, a proximal end of the sleeve attached to the anchor, the sleeve to extend into the intestine, the sleeve defining a lumen through which chyme passes, and a restricting aperture within the sleeve adapted to retard the outflow of chyme from the stomach.
Obesity treatment by implanting at or distal to the pylorus and resisting chyme outflow
A method for treating obesity comprising implanting a device within a gastrointestinal tract of an animal at or distal to the pylorus, and resisting the outflow of chyme from the stomach with a restrictive aperture having the defined pressure-dependent expansion and diameter behavior.
Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on a pyloric or distal-to-pylorus anchor or anchoring means and a pressure-responsive restrictive aperture or aperture means that retards chyme outflow by substantially expanding at 50 inches of water or more while remaining about 5 mm or below in diameter when water pressure is between 0 and 50 inches of water. Some independent claim coverage further requires a flexible, floppy sleeve that extends into the intestine and defines a lumen for chyme passage.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Treating obesity by implanting the described device within a gastrointestinal tract of an animal at or distal to the pylorus and resisting the outflow of chyme from the stomach.
Treating obesity using a gastrointestinal implant comprising aperture means to increase within the intestine resistance to the outflow of chyme from the stomach, with anchoring means at the pyloric orifice or distal to the pylorus.
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