US 7695446 B2
Methods of treatment using a gastrointestinal implant device removably anchored within an animal's gastrointestinal tract. For example, the implant device includes a collapsible anchor for anchoring the device coupled to a proximal end of a flexible sleeve. The implant device can be anchored within the stomach, within the pyloric orifice, and/or distal to the pylorus and extended into the duodenum. All partially-digested food, or chyme, exiting the stomach is funneled through the device. Methods of treatment include treating obesity by one or more of: limiting the absorption of nutrients within the duodenum; delaying the mixing of chyme with digestive enzymes; alter hormonal triggers; and providing negative feedback. Alternatively or in addition, the desired result includes treating a diseases, such as diabetes, or temporarily shielding a portion of the intestine to promote healing within the intestine.
1. A method of treating obesity, diabetes or a gastrointestinal condition comprising the steps of:
with a delivery system, delivering an implant within the digestive system, the implant having a collapsible sleeve anchor coupled to a proximal portion of a floppy, flexible sleeve, open at both ends, the sleeve defining a lumen between the two ends and made of a thin and conformable material so that it collapses in the intestine;
positioning the floppy sleeve within the intestine with an extension of the delivery system extending beyond the anchor;
securing the sleeve anchor within the digestive system while the flexible sleeve is unsupported at the distal end; and
withdrawing the extension of the delivery system from the digestive system through the lumen of the floppy sleeve, leaving the floppy sleeve in the digestive system.
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12. A method of treating obesity, diabetes or a gastrointestinal condition comprising:
placing in the gastrointestinal tract of a subject an implant within the digestive system, the implant having an anchor coupled to a proximal portion of a flexible, floppy sleeve, the open at both ends, the sleeve defining a lumen between the two ends, anchor comprising at least one barb fixed thereto and extending outwardly therefrom to anchor the proximal portion of the sleeve, the barb being fixed to the anchor prior to placing the anchor in the gastrointestinal tract;
positioning the flexible, floppy sleeve within the intestine, a distal portion of the flexible, floppy sleeve extending beyond the anchor and being unsupported, thin, and conformable so that it collapses in the intestine to a small volume;
anchoring the flexible, floppy sleeve by securing the anchor distal to or within the pylorus so as to alter normal digestion along at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract and withdrawing an extension of the delivery system from the digestive system through the lumen of the floppy sleeve.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/001,794, filed Nov. 30, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,875 which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/339,786, filed Jan. 9, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,791 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/430,321, filed on Dec. 2, 2002. The entire teachings of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), over sixty percent of the United States population is overweight, and almost twenty percent are obese. This translates into 38.8 million adults in the United States with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above. The BMI is defined as a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meters), squared. To be considered clinically, morbidly obese, one must meet one of three criteria: BMI over 35, 100 lbs. overweight or 100% above ideal body weight. There is also a category for the super-obese for those weighing over 350 lbs.
Obesity is an overwhelming health problem. Because of the enormous strain associated with carrying this excess weight, organs are affected, as are the nervous and circulatory systems. In 2000, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) estimated that there were 280,000 deaths directly related to obesity. The NIDDK further estimated that the direct cost of healthcare in the US associated with obesity is $51 billion. In addition, Americans spend $33 billion per year on weight loss products. In spite of this economic cost and consumer commitment, the prevalence of obesity continues to rise at alarming rates. From 1991 to 2000, obesity in the US grew by 61%. Not exclusively a U.S. problem, worldwide obesity ranges are also increasing dramatically.
One of the principle costs to the healthcare system stems from the co-morbidities associated with obesity. Type-2 diabetes has climbed to 7.3% of the population. Of those persons with Type-2 diabetes, almost half are clinically obese, and two thirds are approaching obese. Other co-morbidities include hypertension, coronary artery disease, hypercholesteremia, sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension.
Although the physiology and psychology of obesity are complex, the medical consensus is that the cause is quite simple—an over intake of calories combined with a reduction in energy expenditures seen in modern society. While the treatment seems quite intuitive, the institution of a cure is a complex issue that has so far vexed the best efforts of medical science. Dieting is not an adequate long-term solution for most people. Once an individual has slipped past the BMI of 30, significant changes in lifestyle are the only solution.
There have been many attempts in the past to surgically modify patients' anatomies to attack the consumption problem by reducing the desire to eat. Stomach saplings, or gastroplasties, to reduce the volumetric size of the stomach, therein achieving faster satiety, were performed in the 1980's and early 1990's. Although able to achieve early weight loss, sustained reduction was not obtained. The reasons are not all known, but are believed related to several factors. One of which is that the stomach stretches over time increasing volume while psychological drivers motivate patients to find creative approaches to literally eat around the smaller pouch.
There are currently two surgical procedures that successfully produce long-term weight loss; the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD). Both procedures reduce the size of the stomach plus shorten the effective-length of intestine available for nutrient absorption. Reduction of the stomach size reduces stomach capacity and the ability of the patient to take in food. Bypassing the duodenum makes it more difficult to digest fats, high sugar and carbohydrate rich foods. One objective of the surgery is to provide feedback to the patient by producing a dumping syndrome if they do eat these food products. Dumping occurs when carbohydrates directly enter the jejunum without being first conditioned in the duodenum. The result is that a large quantity of fluid is discharged into the food from the intestinal lining. The total effect makes the patient feel light-headed and results in severe diarrhea. For reasons that have not been determined the procedure also has an immediate therapeutic effect on diabetes.
Although the physiology seems simple, the exact mechanism of action in these procedures is not understood. Current theory is that negative feedback is provided from both regurgitation into the esophagus and dumping when large volumes of the wrong foods are eaten. Eventually, patients learn that to avoid both these issues they must be compliant with the dietary restrictions imposed by their modified anatomy. In the BPD procedure, large lengths of jejunum are bypassed resulting in malabsorption and therefore, reduced caloric uptake. In fact, the stomach is not reduced in size as much in the BPD procedure so that the patient is able to consume sufficient quantities of food to compensate for the reduced absorption. This procedure is reserved for the most morbidly obese as there are several serious side effects of prolonged malabsorption.
Unfortunately, these procedures carry a heavy toll. The morbidity rate for surgical procedures is alarmingly high with 11% requiring surgical intervention for correction. Early small bowel obstruction occurs at a rate of between 2-6% in these surgeries and mortality rates are reported to be approximately 0.5-1.5%. While surgery seems to be an effective answer, the current invasive procedures are not acceptable with these complication rates. Laparoscopic techniques applied to these surgeries provide fewer surgical complications but continue to expose these very ill patients to high operative risk in addition to requiring an enormous level of skill by the surgeon. Devices to reduce absorption in the small intestines have been proposed (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,584 (Crabb), U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,300 (Berry) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,509 (Smit)). However, these devices have not been successfully implemented.
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for the application of a removable implant device within the gastrointestinal tract of an animal to induce a desired result. The gastrointestinal implant device includes a hollow sleeve and a sleeve anchor coupled to a proximal portion of the sleeve and adapted to removably fasten the proximal portion of the sleeve to a predetermined location within the gastrointestinal tract.
A method of treatment includes extending a hollow sleeve open at both ends into an animal's duodenum. The method further includes positioning the sleeve, or liner, such that partially digested food, or chyme, moving through the digestive tract passes through the interior of the sleeve. Depending on its placement, the sleeve allows enzymes secreted in the duodenum to pass through the duodenum outside the sleeve. The desired result using the implanted sleeve can include treating obesity by one or more of: limiting the absorption of nutrients; delaying the mixing of chyme with digestive enzymes; reducing hormonal triggers; and providing negative feedback. Alternatively or in addition, the desired result includes treating a diseases, such as diabetes, or temporarily shielding a portion of the intestine to promote healing within the intestine.
The sleeve is generally flexible and can be thin and floppy and may be of a length that chyme exiting the stomach funneled through the proximal end of the sleeve exits the sleeve through the distal end below the ligament of Treitz. The distal end of the sleeve may also be directionally textured. The sleeve material is preferably thin-walled and floppy so as not to interfere with natural peristalsis. The sleeve material also provides a low coefficient of friction (e.g., not more than about 0.2) to promote passage of chyme within the sleeve subjected to natural peristaltic forces. These properties can be found in a sleeve formed from a fluoropolymer, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), or from a combination with another material. For example, one such combination includes an ePTFE layer of material combined with a different fluoropolymer layer, such as fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP). The combination of the FEP with ePTFE provides a low coefficient of friction while also being substantially non-permeable. In some embodiments, another material such as PTFE is applied to an ePTFE substrate using vapor deposition. Alternatively or in addition, the sleeve is formed using polyolefin films, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene.
Other materials include cast polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., TEFLON), cast PTFE with FEP or perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) coating on a PTFE to minimize pin holes, extruded FEP and extruded PFA. These materials are solid and substantially non-porous in contrast to ePTFE, which is generally porous. These materials are also considered to be fluoropolymers. In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the sleeve is less than about 0.0025 mm (i.e., about 0.001 inches).
The sleeve anchor is preferably collapsible and adapted to be retained within the digestive system. In some applications, the sleeve anchor includes a stent formed from a network of struts. In other applications, sleeve anchors include a hollow radial spring, referred to herein as a wave anchor. A wave anchor can be formed using a resilient member, such as a wire, formed into a longitudinal oscillation at a radial distance about a longitudinal axis. For example, the wave anchor can be formed using a number of substantially straight segments, each segment alternately joined at one end to a first adjacent segment and at another end to a different adjacent segment, adjacent segments being non-parallel with the two end-most segments being joined together to form the hollow wave anchor.
In some embodiments, the method of treatment includes anchoring the device in the stomach; in the pyloric region between the stomach and the duodenum; and/or distal to the pylorus. For example, the sleeve anchor can be fastened within the proximal duodenum. Preferably, the sleeve anchor is placed in a superior section of the duodenum referred to as the duodenal bulb, or bulbous duodenum that begins just distal to the pyloric sphincter and extends for about 25 to about 38 mm (i.e., 1 to 1.5 inches) in an adult human. The duodenal bulb is located between the pyloric sphincter and the hepatopancreatic ampulla, also referred to as the ampulla of Vater.
Placement of the sleeve anchor in this region offers certain advantages. First, the interior diameter of the duodenal bulb, as the name suggests, is slightly larger than the interior diameters of the proximal and distal regions, thereby promoting axial stability. The interior of the duodenal bulb is also relatively smooth in appearance being absent of folds and experiencing less movement compared to post bulbar duodenum. Notably, the motion is substantially limited to radial contractions without having a significant axial component, further promoting stable anchoring of the sleeve.
Alternatively or in addition, the method of treatment includes anchoring the device using barbs, sutures, and/or other devices to further contribute to stable anchoring of the sleeve. For example, one or more barbs are attached to an exterior surface of the sleeve anchor protruding at an acute angle from the surface and sized to engage the surrounding tissue. Preferably, anchoring includes extend the one or more barbs through a mucosal layer and into muscular tissue.
In some embodiments, the barbs include two tines: one oriented to prevent longitudinal movement of the device in a first direction and another oriented to prevent longitudinal movement of the device in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction. The barbs can be provided near the proximal end of the sleeve anchor. Such placement of the barbs is particularly well suited for a sleeve anchor implanted within the duodenal bulb as the proximal portion of the bulb is thicker than distal portions of the duodenum thereby providing a more suitable location for the placement of barbs.
In some embodiments, the sleeve includes an anti-buckling feature that provides linear stiffness to the sleeve, while allowing it to maintain flexibility. For example, an anti-buckling device is coupled to the sleeve extending distally from below the sleeve anchor to reduce buckling of the sleeve. The anti-buckling feature inhibits eversion of the sleeve, aiding in keeping the sleeve distally extended even in the presence of retrograde pressures.
The method of using the gastrointestinal implant device can include endoscopically inserting the device in combination with a delivery catheter and Alternatively or in addition, the method can include endoscopically repositioning and/or removing the device, once implanted, in combination with a repositioning/removal device.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
A description of preferred embodiments of the invention follows.
The duodenum has four sections: superior, descending, transverse and ascending which typically form a U-shape. The superior section is about two inches long and ends at the neck of the gall bladder. The descending section is about three to four inches long and includes a nipple shaped structure (papilla of vater) 114 through which pancreatic juice from the pancreas and bile produced by the liver and stored by the gall bladder enter the duodenum from the pancreatic duct. The pancreatic juice contains enzymes essential to protein digestion and bile dissolves the products of fat digestion. The ascending section is about two inches long and forms the duodenal-jejunal flexure 116 where it joins the jejunum 106, the next section of the small intestine. The duodenal-jejunal flexure 116 is fixed to the ligament of Treitz 118 (musculus supensionus duodeni). The juices secreted in the duodenum break the partially digested food down into particles small enough to be absorbed by the body. The digestive system is described in Gray's Anatomy (“Anatomy of the Human Body”, by Henry Gray) and “Human Physiology”, Vander, 3rd Ed, McGraw Hill, 1980, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Within the implant device 200 at the proximal end including the first proximal opening 204 is a collapsible self-expanding stent 208. The stent 208 includes a plurality of opposed barbs 210 for anchoring the implant device 200 to the muscular pylorus in the stomach 102. The diameter of the stent 208 is dependent on the diameter of the pyloric orifice 108 (
The sleeve material is thin and conformable so that it collapses in the intestine to a small volume to minimize bowel irritability. It has a low coefficient of friction (<0.20) so that chyme slides easily through it and the bowel slides easily around it. It is of low permeability to fluids so that the chyme does not touch the bowel wall and the digestive enzymes do not significantly breakdown the chyme. It is biologically inert and non-irritating to the tissues. One such material is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), a fluoropolymer, with a wall thickness of about 0.006″ and an internodal distance of 20 microns. This material is hydrophobic but is slightly porous. However, these very small pores may plug over time. The porosity may be reduced by coating the material on the inside, outside or in the pores with dilute solutions of silicone or polyurethane. Another material is polyethylene with a wall thickness of less than 0.001″. Rubber-like materials typically have friction coefficients of 1-4, significantly stickier than these materials. However, in alternate embodiments other materials having similar characteristics can be used.
The sleeve 202 includes two layers of material at least at the proximal end. A first outer layer covers the exterior of the stent. The second inner layer covers the interior surface of the stent 208. The barbs 210 protrude from the exterior surface of the stent 208 through the first outer layer of the sleeve 208. The holes in the first outer layer through which the barbs 210 protrude are filled with an impervious material such as silicone or urethane to limit mixing of digestive juices with the chyme flowing through the passageway. The diameter of the sleeve 208 is selected such that the first outer layer of the sleeve 208 fits over the stent 208.
The sleeve length 212 ranges from about one foot to about five feet. The typical length of the sleeve 208 is about 1.5 feet from the anchor (barbs 210) in the pyloric region of the stomach to below the ligament of Treitz 118 (
The covered stent 208 can be collapsed into a sheath having a diameter less than ¼ inches to enable endoscopic delivery. Covering the exterior surface of the stent 208 with the first outer layer of the sleeve 202 permits endoscopic removal of the implant device 200 by preventing tissue in-growth on the exterior surface of the stent 208.
Markings can be added to the exterior surface of the sleeve 202 to detect the position and orientation of the sleeve on a fluoroscopic image and whether the sleeve is twisted. For example, a stripe can be painted down the length of the device 200 using tantalum impregnated ink, or tantalum bands can be bonded to the exterior surface of the device. If the sleeve 202 is twisted, the sleeve 202 can be untwisted by inserting a balloon into the proximal end of the device thereby sealing it, and then injecting water into the sleeve at low pressure.
The sleeve 202 extends over the ligament of Treitz 118 beyond the proximal jejunum. Extending the sleeve below the ligament of Treitz reduces the likelihood that the sleeve will move back through the duodenum 104 toward the stomach 102.
After the gastrointestinal implant device 200 has been placed in the body and anchored in either the pyloric portion of the stomach or distal to the pylorus 108, chyme leaving the stomach passes through passageway 304 (
The pyloric valve opens periodically to allow chyme to exit the stomach 102 to the duodenum 104. In one embodiment of the invention the length of the stent 208 is selected to keep the pyloric valve permanently open to induce “dumping syndrome.” By keeping the pylorus 108 open, the chyme empties rapidly into the sleeve 202 and passes down through the sleeve 202 and into the jejunum 106 with minimal digestion. This results in a “dumping syndrome” which is a reaction to excessive rapid dumping of chyme into the jejunum 106 causing the patient to feel ill, dizzy and nauseated. This syndrome is particularly enhanced when sugars and carbohydrates are eaten and passed directly into the jejunum 106.
To hold the pyloric valve open, the length of the stent 208 should be at least 1.5 inches so that the stent 208 extends from the anchoring position in the pyloric portion of the stomach through the pyloric orifice 108 (the opening from the stomach while the pyloric valve is open). The length of the stent is selected so that the distal end of the stent is above the papilla of Vater 114 (
The sleeve 202 provides weight loss mechanisms by providing negative feedback, reduced fat digestion and reduced desire for food. The reduced fat digestion occurs because the sleeve 202 delays the mixing of bile and pancreatic juices with chyme from the stomach until after the chyme leaves the sleeve. The reduced desire for food may occur because the sleeve 202 blocks hormonal release from the duodenum.
After the chyme from the stomach has passed through the sleeve, the sleeve becomes extremely thin and floppy, permitting the sleeve to contour to the inner walls of the intestine. The sleeve is non-compliant and drapes away from the intestinal walls thereby permitting the pancreatic juice to flow unimpeded into the duodenum through the papilla of vater. The normal peristalsis of the bowel is used to propel the chyme through the intestines.
In the embodiment shown, the stent has a length L of about 1.5 inches and has a diameter D of about 1 inch. The struts 602 are flat, about 0.010 inches wide and about 0.004 to 0.010 inches thick. The stent can be formed from a tube of material by laser cutting followed by expansion and heat setting, or other methods well known to those skilled in the art.
In an alternate embodiment, the struts 602 can be formed separately and the strut intersections can be welded or attached by other means well known to those skilled in the art. Visually the struts form sections 604 around the circumference of the stent. Each section has a series of triangles with each triangle defined by one distal strut connection 606 and two proximal strut connections 608, 610. The ratio of the collapsed diameter to the expanded diameter of the stent is roughly 1:4.
When expanded, the angle α between divergent strut sections is about 45-50 degrees and the diameter of the stent is about one inch. When compressed, the angle β between divergent strut sections is about 5-6 degrees to reduce the diameter of the stent to about 0.21 inch for endoscopic delivery and removal. The elasticity of the struts permits this compression. When the radial compression is released, the elasticity of the struts causes the stent to expand to diameter D. The stent assumes its desired diameter as the elastic restoring forces seek their minimum stress.
The ends of the struts at the proximal end of the stent 600 are elongated and shaped to provide barbs 612 to anchor to the muscle in the pyloric portion of the stomach 102.
The length of the sleeve 202 can be sized to just pass over the ligament of Treitz thereby bypassing only the duodenum and proximal jejunum 106. By doing this, it may not be necessary to provide any anti-buckling mechanisms in the sleeve 202 since the duodenum 104 is not very mobile compared to the jejunum 106. Typically, an anti-buckling mechanism 1102 is added to the exterior surface of a sleeve 202 having a length exceeding the length of the duodenum 104 and proximal jejunum 106.
The gastrointestinal implant device 200 is designed for endoscopic placement.
The catheter system 1200 includes an outer sheath 1202 for storing the stent 208 in collapsed form, a flange 1216 to pull back the outer sheath 1202 and a sleeve retention wire mechanism 1214 for releasing a sleeve retention wire 1210 from the proximal end of the flexible sleeve 202 after the stent has been released from the outer sheath 1202.
As described in conjunction with
The sleeve 202 is secured temporarily outside the inner sheath 1226 allowing for proper positioning of the gastrointestinal implant device and then for release. As shown, the sleeve 202 is secured by the sleeve retention wire 1210 using a dead-bolt mechanism 1206. Non-stick coatings such as Teflon on the sleeve retention wire 1210 are preferred to make release easier to accommodate tortuous anatomical pathways. The sleeve retention wire 1210 extends through the second inner lumen from the release mechanism 1214 of the catheter system 1200 to the dead-bolt mechanism 1206. The dead-bolt mechanism 1206 is described later in conjunction with
As described in conjunction with
Once in place, the sleeve retention wire 1210 can be removed. As described previously in conjunction with
The anchoring ring 2204 does not hold the pylorus open. However, in an alternate embodiment, the anchoring ring 2204 can be bonded to a stent with sufficient length and diameter to hold the pylorus open as described in conjunction with
The gastrointestinal implant device offers a new alternative where other means of weight loss and efforts at behavior modification have failed. Because the gastrointestinal implant device is endoscopically introduced, there is a reduced risk at insertion compared to surgery. The procedure is also completely reversible, making this approach an ideal solution for patients who are desperate to reverse behavioral patterns that have lead to weight gain.
When inserted in the body, the gastrointestinal implant device mimics the duodenal bypass of the Roux-en-Y procedure. The implanted device reduces caloric absorption by delaying enzyme mixing with food and provides the feedback produced by the Roux-en-Y procedure by producing dumping syndrome when high sugar meals are ingested. Rapid stomach emptying is encouraged by inserting a stent in the pylorus to hold the pylorus open and all food bypasses the duodenum and passes rapidly into the jejunum. The implant device is an improvement on the Roux-en-Y procedure because it is minimally invasive and reversible. In the treatment of the super-obese where aggressive weight loss is not achieved, the length of the implant device below the stent can be further increased to drive the patient close to the point of malabsorption.
The gastrointestinal implant device can be used to reduce Type 2 diabetes symptoms by bypassing the duodenum. Following gastric bypass surgery, patients commonly experience complete reversal of Type 2 diabetes. While the exact mechanism of this remarkable effect is not understood, the clinical result is reported in a high percentage of cases. Reversal of Type 2 diabetes after gastric bypass is described in “Potential of Surgery for Curing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” by Rubino et al. incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Since the gastrointestinal implant device provides equivalent blockage of duodenal processes, a similar effect is elicited but without the trauma of surgery. In patients who are not obese but suffer Type 2 diabetes, a modified gastrointestinal implant device is inserted. This gastrointestinal implant device provides the necessary effect to hinder pancreatic processes and receptors without blocking absorption.
In the embodiment of the gastrointestinal implant device for treating diabetes, the length of the stent is selected to allow the pylorus to operate normally. The length of the sleeve is also reduced to mimic the duodenum bypass. The sleeve extends to just below the ligament of Treitz but does not extend further into the jejunum, thus allowing absorption to occur in the jejunum.
The wave anchor 2810 includes a compliant, radial spring 2900 shaped into an annular oscillating pattern. For example, the pattern is a wave pattern, such as a sinusoidal pattern formed about a central axis. The anchor provides an outward radial force, while allowing substantial flexure about its perimeter. Such flexure is advantageous as it allows for minimally-invasive delivery and ensures that the device will substantially conform to the surrounding anatomical structure when implanted.
The annular wave element 2900 can be formed from one or more elongated resilient members radially-disposed about a longitudinal axis and joined together defining a lumen along its central axis formed between two open ends. When implanted, the central axis 2815 of the anchor is substantially aligned with the central axis of the lumen 2820 (e.g., duodenum 104), allowing chyme to pass through the interior of the device 2800. Additionally, the compliant wave anchor 2810 minimizes trauma to the tissue by providing sufficient flexibility and compliance, while minimizing the likelihood of tissue erosion and providing a solid anchoring point to the tissue.
In some embodiments, the wave anchor is adapted for placement within a region of the proximal duodenum referred to as the duodenal bulb 500 (
The compliance of the anchor 2900, allows it to flex radially over a wide range according to natural contractions and expansions of the duodenum 104 (i.e., between about 25 and 45 mm). In some embodiments, the relaxed diameter of the wave anchor 2900 can be about 50 mm (i.e., about 2 inches). In other embodiments, the relaxed diameter can exceed 50 mm, being up to 60 mm (i.e., 2.5 inches) or even more. In either case, the wave anchor 2900 can be temporarily collapsed to about 12 mm (i.e., about 0.5 inches) for endoscopic placement.
In some embodiments, the implant device includes a retrieval/repositioning feature. For example, the implant device 2800 includes a drawstring 2825. The drawstring 2825 can be selectively woven around the perimeter of the anchor 2900 through openings of opportunity in the anchor 2900. Alternatively or in addition, the drawstring 2825 can be selectively woven through dedicated openings, such as eyelets provided on the anchor 2900 or in the proximal sleeve 202. In operation, the drawstring 2825, when pulled, contracts about the perimeter of the anchor 2900 to reduce the diameter of the anchor 2900. Collapsing the anchor 2900 in this manner before removing or repositioning the anchor 2900 is advantageous in avoiding tissue damage, particularly when the implant device 2800 includes barbs.
In some embodiments, the gastrointestinal implant device 2800 can be inserted endoscopically in combination with a delivery catheter, such as any of the delivery catheters described herein (
In some embodiments, the gastrointestinal implant device can be repositioned and/or removed endoscopically in combination with a repositioning/removal device, such as any of the repositioning/removal devices described herein (
Various embodiments of the gastrointestinal implant device have been described herein. These embodiments are given by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments.
While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.
The appended claims are of a scope that covers the embodiments disclosed in priority application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/858,851 referenced herein, and thus have the benefit of priority of that filing date. The claims are also of a sufficient scope to cover more recent embodiments, including those described above and those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/229,352 and 11/147,992, also referenced herein.