Implantable digestive tract organ

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ comprising a device adaptedfor moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support structure;
• at least one expandable member located within the outer support structure;
• and
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer member, wherein the least one expandable member is located between the inner member and the outer support structure wherein the outer support member has a length, and wherein the at least one expandable member comprises a plurality of expandable members located along the length of the outer support member, and
• wherein the plurality of expandable members are arranged to be expanded in a controlled sequence after the implantation of the digestive organ.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support structure;
• at least one expandable member located within the outer support structure;
• and
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer member, wherein the least one expandable member is located between the inner member and the outer support structure wherein the outer support member has a length, and wherein the at least one expandable member comprises a plurality of expandable members located along the length of the outer support member, and
• a controller configured to control the expansion of the plurality of expandable members according to a sequence.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support structure;
• at least one expandable member located within the outer support structure;
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer member, wherein the least one expandable member is located between the inner member and the outer support structure;
• and
• a valve comprising at least one valve member configured to control the movement of the material through the organ.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a digestive tract of a patient comprising:

• an outer support structure;
• at least one expandable member located within the outer support structure;
• and
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer member, wherein the least one expandable member is located between the inner member and the outer support structure,
• wherein the prosthetic organ comprises an implantable bowel adapted for replacing a portion of the patient's large bowel, and
• wherein the outer support structure comprises an outer support tube having a length.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support structure;
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer support structure;
• and
• a valve comprising at least one expandable member located between the inner member and the outer support structure, wherein expansion of the at least one expandable member moves the valve toward a closed position.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support member;
• at least one expanding member located within the outer support member;
• and
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer member, wherein the least one expanding member is located between the inner member and the outer support structure,
• wherein the expanding member is configured to expand so as to push material through a portion of the implantable digestive organ.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support member;
• at least one expanding member located within the outer support member;
• and
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer member, wherein the least one expanding member is located between the inner member and the outer support structure,
• wherein the expanding member is configured to expand to thereby move material through a portion of the implantable digestive organ,
• wherein the prosthetic organ comprises an implantable bowel for replacing a portion of the large bowel,
• wherein the outer support member comprises an outer support tube having a length.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support structure;
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer support structure;
• and
• a valve comprising at least one expandable member located between the inner member and the outer support structure, wherein the valve comprises a plurality of inflated members inflated to a threshold pressure to be met to permit movement of substance through the valve into the inner member.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving materials through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support structure;
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer support structure;
• and
• a valve comprising at least one expandable member located between the inner member and the outer support structure,
• wherein the prosthetic organ is an implantable bowel having an orad end and an aborad end, the implantable bowel further comprising a orad valve located at the orad end.

An implantable prosthetic digestive organ adapted for moving material through a portion of a patient's digestive tract comprising:

• an outer support member;
• at least one expanding member located within the outer support member;
• and
• a flexible inner member forming a conduit for the movement of material therethrough, the flexible inner member located within the outer member, wherein the least one expanding member is located between the inner member and the outer support structure,
• wherein the expanding member is configured to expand to thereby move material through a portion of the implantable digestive organ;
• and
• a valve comprising at least one valve member configured to cause movement of material through the organ.