# US 10,368,973 B2 · Devices and methods for gastrointestinal bypass

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- Number: US 10,368,973 B2
- Document ID: US10368973B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/930,652
- Filed: 2015-11-02
- Published: 2016-07-07
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-31
- Assignees: ValenTx, Inc.
- Applicants: ValenTx, Inc.
- Inventors: Jon St. Germain; Cole Chen; Roland Maude-Griffin; Johann Neisz; Sean Miller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368973B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/04: Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts (A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95)
- A61B 17/0401: {Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors (A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811)}
- A61F 5/0076: {preventing normal digestion, e.g. Bariatric or gastric sleeves}
- A61F 5/0089: {Instruments for placement or removal}
- A61B 2017/00867: {shape memory effect}
- A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors}
- A61B 2017/0419: {H-fasteners}
- A61B 2017/0464: {for soft tissue}
- A61F 2/95: Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
- A61F 2002/044: {Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets}
- A61F 2002/045: {Stomach, intestines}
- A61F 2230/0069: cylindrical
- A61F 2250/0063: Nested prosthetic parts
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Gastrointestinal bypass devices are described. In one embodiment, a gastrointestinal bypass device may include an anchoring membrane configured to be attached to a wall of an esophagus with a tissue anchor placed through the anchoring membrane. The anchoring membrane may be configured to be pierced to allow the tissue anchor to be placed through the anchoring membrane. Methods for attaching a device to a tissue wall are described. In one embodiment, a method may include forming a bulge in an anchoring membrane of the device and the tissue wall, piercing the bulge from a first side of the anchoring membrane and a first side of the tissue wall, placing a second retention element of a tissue anchor on a second side of the tissue wall, and, placing a tension element of the tissue anchor through the anchoring membrane and the tissue wall. The tension element may be coupled to the second retention element. The method may further include placing a first retention element on the first side of the anchoring membrane. The first retention element may be coupled to the tension element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for attaching a device to a tissue wall, the method comprising:
forming a bulge in an anchoring membrane of the device and the tissue wall;
piercing the bulge from a first side of the anchoring membrane and a first side of the tissue wall to make a hole in the anchoring membrane and the tissue wall;
placing a distal retention element of a tissue anchor on a second side of the tissue wall; and
placing a tension element of the tissue anchor through the hole in the anchoring membrane and the tissue wall, the tension element coupled to the distal retention element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein forming a bulge includes drawing the anchoring membrane and the tissue wall with a vacuum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein forming a bulge includes pulling the anchoring membrane and the tissue wall with a grasper.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein piercing the bulge includes advancing a delivery needle through the bulge to position a tip of the delivery needle on a second side of the tissue wall.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein advancing a delivery needle includes advancing a delivery needle in a direction between 0 degrees and 10 degrees from parallel to the tissue wall other than the bulge.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein placing a distal retention element includes pushing the distal retention element out of a lumen of the delivery needle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein placing a tension element includes pulling the delivery needle back through the bulge.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
placing a proximal retention element on the first side of the anchoring membrane, the proximal retention element coupled to the tension element.