|Publication number||US7766861 B2|
|Application number||US 11/541,616|
|Publication date||Aug 3, 2010|
|Filing date||Oct 2, 2006|
|Priority date||Dec 2, 2002|
|Also published as||CA2512203A1, CA2512203C, EP1569582A2, US7122058, US8486153, US8882698, US20050085923, US20070027548, US20070083271, US20120184967, US20140194805, WO2004049982A2, WO2004049982A3, WO2004049982A9, WO2004049982B1|
|Publication number||11541616, 541616, US 7766861 B2, US 7766861B2, US-B2-7766861, US7766861 B2, US7766861B2|
|Inventors||Andy H. Levine, David A. Melanson, John C. Meade|
|Original Assignee||Gi Dynamics, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (428), Non-Patent Citations (31), Referenced by (44), Classifications (39), Legal Events (2)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application is a Divisional Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/726,011, filed on Dec. 2, 2003, now U.S Pat. No. 7,122,058 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/512,145, filed on Oct. 17, 2003. The entire teachings of the above application 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 US 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 a method and apparatus for the application of a barrier sleeve in the digestive tract to limit absorption of food products in specific parts of the digestive tract and to provide negative feedback to patients with morbid obesity enabling them to modify their heating habits.
A gastrointestinal implant device can be inserted endoscopically in combination with a delivery catheter. The delivery catheter includes a catheter for passage through the intestines and a spherically shaped element coupled to the distal end of the catheter. The spherically shaped element may be remotely releasable.
A delivery system for placing a gastrointestinal implant device in a body includes an outer sheath in the proximal portion of the delivery system for storing a proximal portion of the gastrointestinal implant device. The proximal portion of the gastrointestinal implant device includes an anchoring device for anchoring the device in the stomach. The delivery system includes an inner sheath within the outer sheath. The inner sheath extends beyond the outer sheath toward the distal end of the delivery system. A first lumen is within the inner sheath for passing the outer sheath over a guidewire and a second lumen is within the inner sheath for moving a moveable element to secure the distal end of a sleeve coupled to the stent to the inner sheath. The delivery system also includes a release mechanism to release the anchoring device from the outer sheath. A sleeve release mechanism is coupled to the moveable element for releasing the distal end of the sleeve. There is a spherical shaped element at the distal end of the delivery system which is held by the moveable element.
The moveable element may be a sleeve retention wire, which exits the second lumen and pierces the distal end of the sleeve. The sleeve release mechanism pulls the outer sheath toward the proximal end of the delivery system to remove the outer sheath from the anchoring device. The sleeve release mechanism pulls the moveable element toward the proximal end of the delivery system to release the distal end of the sleeve after the anchoring device has been released.
A distal portion of the sleeve may be stored in a pill for delivery and the distal portion of the sleeve is released from the pill by peristalsis. The distal portion of the sleeve may be stored in a dissolvable pill for delivery. The spherical shaped element is attached to an element retention wire which is held by the moveable element. The moveable element may be looped through the spherical shaped element, the distal end of the moveable element may be coiled and stored within the spherical shaped element or the moveable element may be held in an S-shaped track within the spherical shaped element.
The spherical shaped element at the distal end of the delivery system may be an expandable balloon. The element may be remotely releasable. The inner sheath may include a third lumen through which a fluid is passed to release the sleeve from the distal end of the delivery device. The sleeve release mechanism pulls the moveable element toward the proximal end of the delivery system to release the spherical shaped element after the anchoring device has been released.
A gastrointestinal implant device includes a flexible sleeve and a collapsible anchor coupled to a proximal end of the sleeve. The flexible sleeve is open at both ends, and adapted to extend into the duodenum to limit absorption of nutrients in the duodenum. The anchor includes two spaced apart rings of differing diameters to anchor the proximal portion of the sleeve in the stomach. The rings may be made from Nitinol and may include at least two stabilizing ears and may be formed by loosely intertwined wires. The rings may be linked with a connecting bar. The connecting bar includes extensions extending from the exterior surface of the bar for anchoring the proximal portion of the sleeve in the stomach. Extensions extending from the exterior surface of a proximal ring and extensions extending from the exterior surface of a distal ring are angled towards each other. The anchor is covered by a proximal portion of the sleeve. The interior surface of the ring is covered by the sleeve and the exterior surface of the ring is coated with polyurethane. The rings are folded in a u-shape stored in a delivery tube to insert the flexible sleeve.
The sleeve may be impregnated with an anti-hunger hormone such as peptide-YY. The sleeve may be impregnated with a drug that reduces inflammation. The distance between the rings may be selected to hold the pylorus open. The sleeve may be formed of low friction materials such as cast polytetraflouroethylene, polytetraflouroethylene, cast flouronated ethylene propylene with polytetraflouroethylene coating, extruded flouronated ethylene propylene and extruded perfluoroalkoxy.
The gastrointestinal implant device can be used as a method for treating intestinal bowel disease. A flexible sleeve is anchored within the stomach. The sleeve is open at both ends and impregnated with a drug that reduces inflammation. The flexible sleeve is into the jejunum.
The gastrointestinal implant device can be used as a method for treating obesity. A flexible sleeve is anchored within the stomach. The sleeve is open at both ends and enhanced with anti-hunger hormones and the flexible sleeve is extended into the duodenum.
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 polytetraflouroethylene (ePTFE) 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″. Other materials include Cast PTFE (polytetraflouroethylene, Teflon), Cast PTFE with FEP (flouronated ethylene propylene) or PFA (Perfluoroalkoxy) coating to minimize pin holes, Extruded FEP and Extruded PFA. These materials are solid and non-porous in contrast to ePTFE which is porus, but these materials are also considered to be Teflons. 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 inch 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 tantulum impregnated ink, or tantulum 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 the pyloric portion of the stomach, 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 open, the chyme empties rapidly into the sleeve 202 and passes down through the sleeve and into the jejunum with minimal digestion. This results in a “dumping syndrome” which is a reaction to excessive rapid dumping of chyme into the jejunum 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.
To hold the pyloric valve open, the length of the stent should be at least 1.5 inches so that the stent 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 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 1224 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 1224 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 the ideal solution for patients who are desperate to reverse behavioral patterns that have led 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.
Placement of the gastrointestinal implant device effectively provides that ingested food does not digest in a normal manner and the gut hormones that are normally triggered are modified. These hormones result in several physiology changes that impact hunger and digestion. Gut hormones include peptide YY (PYY), cholecystokinin (CCK) and ghrelin.
As under digested food enters the ileum or distal part of the small intestine, a hormone called peptide YY or PYY is released. This hormone has been shown to have a direct effect on appetite, reducing it when released. Undigested food in the ileum indicates that too much food has been ingested. Thus, dependent on the length of the sleeve, the gastrointestinal device can promote deposition of undigested or partially digested food to the distal bowel. Therefore, the placement of a sleeve in the intestine promotes the delivery of undigested food to the ileum, which in turn promotes the release of PYY and reduces appetite in humans.
The hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) is released when food contacts the duodenum. CCK triggers the release of bile from the gallbladder. Therefore, placing a sleeve in the duodenum reduces the release of CCK and thus reduces bile output resulting in reduction in the digestion of food.
Some ghrelin is released when food contacts the duodenum. Ghrelin has been shown to be a factor in the control of appetite. This device will reduce ghrelin output and thereby reduce appetite due to the bypass of the duodenum.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease of obesity that occurs when patients cannot adequately use the insulin they produce. Usually, it is not that the patient cannot make enough insulin, but rather that the patient's body cannot effectively use the insulin produced. A particularly dangerous result of type 2 diabetes is that blood sugar spikes after a meal. This is called post-prandial hyperglycemia. This spike in blood glucose causes cardiovascular and microvascular damage. One class of drugs used to control post-prandial hyperglycemia is the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. These work by reducing the breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates to sugars. The sleeve has a similar function because it reduces bile and delays the breakdown and absorption of the carbohydrates, which are normally readily absorbed in the duodenum, but are less likely to be absorbed in the jejunum and ileum. Therefore, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by placing a sleeve in the proximal intestine to delay the digestion of carbohydrates which reduces post-prandial hyperglycemia.
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 may be selected to allow the pylorus to operate normally. The length of the sleeve may be 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 gastrointestinal implant device can be placed temporarily in the stomach and duodenum to allow tissues to heal. For example, the sleeve can be placed temporarily to promote healing of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum. Ulcers are lesions that form in tissues of the stomach and duodenum. If they bleed, they are typically cauterized with electrosurgery. For ulcers to heal, they must be protected from the acidic environment. Placement of a sleeve for a short time period, for example, for one to two weeks, promotes healing of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum by eliminating the acidic environment and allows the tissues to heal.
Intestinal anastomoses are performed to remove sections of diseased bowel. The stapled or sewn connection is prone to leakage until it heals. The placement of the gastrointestinal implant device temporarily in the bowel can be used to promote healing of small bowel anastomoses by protecting the area from chyme and minimizing leaks.
The gastrointestinal implant device can be used to deliver drugs, hormones and other active agents directly to the intestine. To deliver the agents, the sleeve is either coated or impregnated with the agents.
The two most common intestinal bowel diseases are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease may occur in any part of the digestive tract. Although the exact cause of the disease is unknown, it appears to be an abnormal immune response in the patient, which leads to chronic inflammation of the intestinal lining.
Crohn's disease is treated with drugs intended to reduce inflammation. These include aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immune modifiers such as azathioprine and methotrexate and antibiotics including ampicillin and cipro. These drugs have negative effects when given systemically. Since the drug is really only needed locally, smaller amounts of drug can be used if delivered directly to the tissues.
The intestinal sleeve is coated with polymers that are impregnated with these drugs. Coatings may include polyurethanes, silicones and hydrophilic polymers like Hydromer. These coatings may be applied to the sleeve material by dipping or spraying techniques. If a porous sleeve material such as ePTFE is used, the drug filled polymer may be driven into the pores using internal pressure inside the sleeve. This increases the amount of drug that is available.
The sleeve material can also be a polymer that permits the incorporation of the drug directly into the wall. Such polymers include Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and polyurethane. A greater amount of the drug may be incorporated in this case compared to a coating since there is more material in the wall than simply in coatings, thereby providing longer release times. The drug is compounded into the polymer and then extruded as is normally done to form the tubing or sheet from which the sleeve is made.
The sleeve is deployed transesophageally into the duodenum and proximal jejunum. When the sleeve comes in contact with the tissues, the drugs in the coating are released directly into the tissues. Also, the sleeve may act to block the contact of the food to the mucosa, thereby reducing irritation caused by the chyme. Once the drug has fully eluted from the material, the sleeve is removed and a new one is placed.
The control of appetite in the human is a complex function of hormonal interactions. Several hormones have been implicated in its control including Ghrelin, PeptideYY, Leptin, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), Cholecystokinin (CCK), insulin and others. These hormones are either released or suppressed by the presence of food in the duodenum. For example, PYY acts as an anti-hunger hormone as injections of PYY have been shown to decrease food intake in both rats and humans and decreases in leptin have been shown to stimulate hunger.
Sleeves that are located in the duodenum where many of these hormones are released may be impregnated with these hormones. When implanted, the hormones elute from the sleeve into the surrounding tissue where they activate the various satiety mechanisms.
The rings are spaced apart and are covered by the sleeve 202. The distal end of the proximal ring 2803 is bonded to the proximal end of the sleeve 202. The distal ring 2802 is also bonded to the sleeve distal to the proximal ring. The rings are spaced apart such that when the gastrointestinal device is positioned in the body, the proximal ring is located in the stomach and the distal ring is located in the duodenum.
The proximal ring 2803 serves to prevent the device from moving in the distal direction 2805 into the duodenum. The distal ring 2802 serves to resist motion in the proximal direction 2804. The diameter of each of the rings is variable with the diameter of the proximal ring greater than the diameter of the distal ring. In one embodiment, the diameter of the proximal ring 2803 is about 1.4″ (35.6 mm) and the diameter of the distal ring 2802 is about 1.0″ (25.4 mm). The diameters of the rings are dependent on the anatomy. The diameter of the proximal ring 2803 is selected to be greater than the pyloric orifice which is typically about 1″ in diameter to prevent the ring from being pulled through the pyloric orifice to the intestines. The diameter of the distal ring 2802 is selected so that the ring is less than the diameter of the duodenum. The distance between the rings is dependent on the length of the pyloric orifice. This distance is selected so that when the proximal ring 2803 is positioned in the stomach, the distal ring 2802 is positioned at the distal end of the pyloric orifice in the duodenum. The distance between the rings also determines whether the pylorus is held open. If the distance between the rings is equal to the length of the pylorus, the pylorus is held open. If the distance between the rings is greater than the length of the pylorus, the sleeve material between the rings is loose allowing the pylorus to operate normally.
The wire is made from a Nitinol material and is heat treated to provide a super elastic state at a range of temperatures from room temperature through body temperature. The wire 2906 is about 0.020″-0.027″ in diameter. The diameter of the wire is selected to provide sufficient radial stiffness to resist collapse by forces in the body, but to permit collapse into a delivery device.
The delivery tube 3010 has a diameter of about 0.394″-0.591″ (10-15 mm) and is about 2 inches in length. The rings 2803, 2804 are folded such that they fit inside the delivery tube 3010 and do not exceed the elastic limit of Nitinol. The folding into a double U shape also permits the rings 2802, 2803 to be pushed out of the delivery tube 3010 in distal direction 2805 in an orderly manner for delivery into the body. After delivery of the gastrointestinal device, the delivery tube 3010 is removed from the body through the stomach in proximal direction 2804.
Each of the rings 3300, 3302 is fabricated from nitinol wire as previously described. Each ring contains loops (stabilizing ears) 3304 that protrude beyond the diameter of the ring. These loops 3304 serve to provide additional anchoring into the tissues and especially to limit rotation of the rings in place. The addition of the loops to each ring permits reduction of the wire diameter and/or the ring diameter while maintaining similar anchoring ability. This also reduces trauma to the anchoring tissues. The number of loops 3304 is variable. There can be two, three or four loops. In the embodiment shown, each ring has four loops. As the gastrointestinal device is a removable, tissue in-growth into the anchoring device is not desired. Therefore, each loop 3304 is coated with a polymer such as polyurethane in a dipping process to fully cover the openings.
The anchor is formed by proximal ring 2803 and distal ring 2802 loosely connected by at least one connecting bar 3600. There are loops 3602, 3604 at the end of each connecting bar 3600, each loop 3602, 3604 engages a respective one of the rings 2803 and 2802. The sleeve 202 encapsulates the entire assembly.
The catheter system 4250 includes an outer sheath 4222 for storing the collapsible anchor portion of the gastrointestinal implant device in collapsed form. Collapsible anchoring devices have already been described in conjunction with
A first lumen 4202 is used to pass a guide wire or mandrel 4226 through the catheter shaft to increase the rigidity of the catheter shaft during introduction of the catheter into the intestines. The first lumen 4202 is also used to inject fluid to lift the sleeve material 202 away from the inner shaft 4200 after the gastrointestinal device has been delivered to the intestine. A second lumen 4204 is used to pass a sleeve retention wire 4208 to the distal end of the gastrointestinal implant device. The sleeve retention wire is used to hold the distal end of the sleeve 202 to the outside of the inner shaft 4200. A third lumen 4206 is used to inject fluid at the tip of the catheter to lift the distal end of the sleeve 202 off the inner shaft 4200 prior to removal of the catheter system 4250 from the body.
Proximal fitting 4220 is connected to the second lumen and proximal fitting 4212 is connected to the third lumen 4206. During delivery of the gastrointestinal implant device, the first lumen 4202 is filled with a 0.035″ Teflon coated guide wire 4226 that provides column strength for the appropriate amount of pushability without compromising the flexibility of the catheter inner shaft 4200. A 0.015″ diameter Teflon-coated steel wire is placed in the second lumen 4204 to serve as the distal sleeve retention wire. The second lumen 4204 has 2 skive holes 4214, 4216 near the distal end of the catheter shaft 4200. The distal sleeve retention wire 4208 exits the second lumen 4204 through a proximal skive hole 4214 feeds through the sleeve material 202, which is wrapped tightly around the distal outer diameter of the catheter shaft, and re-enters the second lumen 4204 through a distal skive hole 4216. This creates a dead bolt style lock holding the sleeve 202 to the shaft 4200 until ready to be released similar to the dead bolt style lock described in conjunction with the two lumen catheter shaft shown in
The distal end of the shaft terminates with a spherical shaped element 4218 that is either solid, or inflatable to form an atraumatic tip. In the embodiment shown, the spherical shaped element is a solid ball, similar to the ball described in conjunction with
The collapsed anchor assembly is located in outer sheath 4222. The ball 4218 at the end of the catheter is released to withdraw the catheter. The release mechanism pulls the sleeve retention wire to release the ball end and release the end of the sleeve. The anchor assembly is then released from the outer sheath as previously described
The catheter can be used any time access to the intestinal tract is desired. For example, the catheter can be used to pass an endoscope into the intestine. This catheter device can be used to rapidly run the intestines, place a guide wire and then use the placed guide wire as a track for an endoscope.
The small bowel is accessed endoscopically by passing a semi-rigid tube into the stomach and into the pylorus and proximal duodenum, inflating the bowel with a fluid, preferably water, and then passing a thin, flexible catheter with a large, atraumatic ball tip through the bowel.
A guide tube 4300 is placed over the end of a gastroscope 4302. The guide tube/gastroscope assembly is then placed through the patient's mouth, down the esophagus and into the stomach 102. The assembly is then passed into the pylorus 108 and the duodenum 104.
The guide tube 4300 has an inner diameter of approximately 0.63″ (16 mm) and an outer diameter of approximately 0.70″ (18 mm). It is approximately 30″ (76.2 cm) in length and is made of a flexible polymer such as urethane with a flat wire wrap to provide kink resistance and pushability. The distal end of the guide tube 4300 can have a short, flexible end to minimize trauma to the pylorus 108.
Once in place, fluid is introduced through the channel of the gastroscope 4302 to inflate the intestine distally. Saline or water are preferred but air or carbon dioxide (CO2) can also be used. About 500-1000 cc of fluid is introduced for delivery of a 4′ length of sleeve. Shorter sleeves require less fluid because the length of intestine to distend is less. After the fluid is introduced, the gastroscope is removed from the guide tube.
If desired, the gastroscope 4302 can be removed from the guide tube 4300 and a balloon catheter can be introduced to deliver the fluid. The balloon catheter is delivered to the pylorus and inflated to roughly 0.394″-0.591″ (10-15 mm) to seal the intestine. A balloon catheter has already been described in conjunction with
The guide tube 4300 is then removed and the gastroscope re-introduced into the stomach to view the pylorus 108. The proximal anchor is then deployed by pulling back on the delivery tube 4222, which is connected to the proximal end of the catheter. After the anchor is deployed as described in conjunction with
A method for accessing the small bowel by passing a catheter through the mouth has been described in conjunction with
The ends of wire 4600 are attached to the ball 4218 and the wire 4600 is looped through sleeve retention wire 4208 to hold the ball 4218 at the distal end of the inner shaft 4200 of the catheter. The ball 4218 is released by pulling back on sleeve retention wire 4208 with fitting 4200 (
The ball 4218 includes two holes 4800, 4802 extending from the recess 4706 to the exterior surface of the ball 4218. The distal end of the sleeve retention wire 4208 passes through hole 166 and is looped back into hole 167. As the sleeve retention wire 4208 is pulled proximally, the wire 4218 is pulled back through hole 4802 and then through hold 4800 and the ball 4218 is released from the distal end of the catheter.
A low profile balloon can be used instead of the ball 4218 at the distal end of the catheter.
The further one tries to pass a device into the intestine, the more difficult it is since friction and tortuosity increase.
The delivery system is described for delivering the embodiment of the gastrointestinal device described in conjunction with
The gastrointestinal implant device is delivered as previously described into the proximal intestines. Once deployed in the intestines, peristalsis from the natural activity of the intestine pulls the pill 5100 distally through the intestine. As the pill is pulled distally, the distal section of the sleeve 202 pulls out of the pill and deploys straight in the intestine. Peristalsis pulls the pill through the remainder of the intestines and the pill finally exits the body.
A one-foot length of sleeve material can be packed into a pill with length of 1″ (25.4 mm) and diameter of 0.47″ (12 mm). Therefore, if one only wishes to pass the catheter 2 feet into the intestine for delivery of the gastrointestinal device, the pill 5100 enables a 3 foot sleeve to be delivered with the additional 1′ distal section of the 3-foot sleeve delivered in the pill 5100.
The delivery mechanism is shown for delivery of the gastrointestinal implant device described in conjunction with
A number of biodegradable materials may be used for the coatings on the pills including polyethylene glycols (PEG), polylactic acids (PLA) and polycaprolactones (PCL). These materials are made in formable resins or in liquids that can be converted to solids through various types of chemical and photochemical reactions. These materials break down into chemicals that are safe to internal tissues. These resins are made biodegradable by formulating a base molecule with a hydrolytically unstable link within the base chain.
For example, PEG is made biodegradable by incorporating lactic acid into the base chain. One end of the lactide molecule forms a link that will break down rapidly in the presence of water. One means of controlling the rate of degradation is by varying the number of lactide elements within the base chain. The greater the number, the faster the chain will break down. Additionally, the percent solids or density of the resulting solid is varied to alter degradation rates. Denser materials take longer to break down. Also, hydrolytically unstable bonds break down faster in elevated pH environments. Such an environment occurs naturally within the small intestines, on the outside of the sleeve where bile and bicarbonates are deposited.
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.
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|U.S. Classification||604/57, 604/93.01, 623/23.65|
|International Classification||A61F2/04, A61M31/00, A61F5/00, A61B17/04, A61B17/06, A61F2/00|
|Cooperative Classification||A61F2002/9528, A61F2/848, A61B17/0469, A61F2002/075, A61B2017/00867, A61F2002/8483, A61F2/90, A61B2017/061, A61B2017/00238, A61B2017/0419, A61F2002/045, A61F5/0076, A61F5/0089, A61B17/0482, A61B17/1114, A61B17/0401, A61F2220/0016, A61F2/04, A61F2002/044, A61F2250/0039, A61F2/07, A61F2002/8486, A61F2/95|
|European Classification||A61F2/07, A61F5/00B6N, A61F5/00B8, A61B17/04E, A61F2/04, A61B17/04A, A61B17/11D|
|Sep 11, 2012||CC||Certificate of correction|
|Sep 5, 2013||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4