Intragastric device

An intragastric balloon comprising:

• an initial fill gas, wherein the initial fill gas consists essentially of N2 and CO2;
• a valve system configured for introducing the initial fill gas into the balloon in vivo;
• and
• a polymeric wall comprising one or more layers, wherein the polymeric wall is configured to have, under in vivo conditions, a permeability to CO2 of more than 10 cc/m2/day, and wherein the polymeric wall is configured such that, in vivo, the balloon is configured to gain in volume and in pressure during a useful life of the intragastric balloon when filled with the initial fill gas.

A method for inflating an intragastric balloon, comprising:

• providing an intragastric balloon comprising a valve system and a polymeric wall, wherein the polymeric wall comprises one or more layers, and wherein the polymeric wall is configured to have, under in vivo conditions, a permeability to CO2 of more than 10 cc/m2/day;
• introducing, in an in vivo intragastric environment, an initial fill gas into the intragastric balloon through the valve system to an initial volume and an initial pressure, wherein the initial fill gas consists essentially of N2;
• and
• exposing the filled balloon to the in vivo intragastric environment for a useful life of the intragastric balloon, whereby the initial fill gas diffuses through the polymeric wall and into the in vivo intragastric environment, and whereby gases in the in vivo intragastric environment diffuse into the balloon through the wall, whereby the intragastric balloon gains in volume and in pressure over the useful life.

A method for inflating an intragastric balloon, comprising:

• providing an intragastric balloon comprising a valve system and a polymeric wall, wherein the polymeric wall comprises one or more layers, and wherein the polymeric wall is configured to have, under in vivo conditions, a permeability to CO2 of more than 10 cc/m2/day;
• introducing, in an in vivo intragastric environment, an initial fill gas into the intragastric balloon through the valve system to an initial volume and an initial pressure, wherein the initial fill gas consists essentially of N2 and CO2;
• and
• exposing the filled balloon to the in vivo intragastric environment for a useful life of the intragastric balloon, whereby the initial fill gas diffuses through the polymeric wall and into the in vivo intragastric environment, and whereby gases in the in vivo intragastric environment diffuse into the balloon through the wall, whereby the intragastric balloon gains in volume and in pressure over the useful life.

An intragastric balloon comprising:

• an initial fill gas, wherein the initial fill gas consists essentially of N2;
• a valve system configured for introducing the initial fill gas into the balloon in vivo;
• and
• a polymeric wall comprising one or more layers, wherein the polymeric wall is configured to have, under in vivo conditions, a permeability to CO2 of more than 10 cc/m2/day, and wherein the polymeric wall is configured such that, in vivo, the balloon gains from 5 to 300% in volume and from 10% to 500% in pressure during a useful life of the intragastric balloon when filled with the initial fill gas, and wherein a concentration of N2 in the initial fill gas relative to an in vivo concentration of N2 limits a rate and an amount of diffusion of N2 from the in vivo gastric environment into the intragastric balloon through the polymeric wall.

An intragastric balloon comprising:

• an initial fill gas, wherein the initial fill gas consists essentially of N2 and CO2;
• a valve system configured for introducing the initial fill gas into the balloon in vivo;
• and
• a polymeric wall comprising one or more layers, wherein the polymeric wall is configured to have, under in vivo conditions, a permeability to CO2 of more than 10 cc/m2/day, and wherein the polymeric wall is configured such that, in vivo, the balloon gains from 5 to 300% in volume and from 10% to 500% in pressure during a useful life of the intragastric balloon when filled with the initial fill gas, and wherein a concentration of one or more gases in the initial fill gas relative to an in vivo concentration of the one or more gases limits a rate and an amount of diffusion of the one or more gases from the in vivo gastric environment into the intragastric balloon through the polymeric wall.

A method for inflating an intragastric balloon, comprising:

• providing an intragastric balloon comprising a valve system and a polymeric wall, wherein the polymeric wall comprises one or more layers, and wherein the polymeric wall is configured to have, under in vivo conditions, a permeability to CO2 of more than 10 cc/m2/day;
• introducing, in an in vivo intragastric environment, an initial fill gas into the intragastric balloon through the valve system to an initial volume and an initial pressure, wherein the initial fill gas consists essentially of N2 and CO2 and wherein a concentration of one or more gases in the initial fill gas relative to an in vivo concentration of the one or more gases limits a rate and an amount of diffusion of the one or more gases from the in vivo gastric environment into the intragastric balloon through the polymeric wall;
• and
• exposing the filled balloon to the in vivo intragastric environment for a useful life of the intragastric balloon, whereby the initial fill gas diffuses through the polymeric wall and into the in vivo intragastric environment, and whereby gases in the in vivo intragastric environment diffuse into the balloon through the wall, whereby the intragastric balloon gains from 5 to 300% in volume and from 10% to 500% in pressure over the useful life.