Intragastric implant devices

A method for treating and/or diagnosing a patient, said method comprising:

• providing an anchor having a proximal atraumatic feature at a proximal end and a distal atraumatic feature at or adjacent a distal end with an elongate element extending therebetween, wherein the anchor includes a first radially expandable structure between the proximal and distal end of the elongate element and proximal of the distal atraumatic feature;
• positioning the anchor within the gastrointestinal tract such that the distal atraumatic feature is within or adjacent the duodenum;
• deploying the anchor within a gastrointestinal tract of the patient, by expanding the first radially expandable structure;
• and
• inhibiting advancement of the deployed anchor around a bend of the gastrointestinal tract by engaging a proximal portion of the anchor against a first surface area of a mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and by engaging a distal portion of the anchor against a second surface area of a mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract distal of the first mucosal surface area, and by resisting bending of the elongate element extending between the proximal and distal ends such that the distal atraumatic feature is maintained within the duodenum;
• and
• supporting an intestinal bypass sleeve of the implant with the anchor so that the sleeve extends along an intestine of the patient while a proximal opening of the intestinal bypass sleeve is maintained within the duodenum so that a flow including ingested matter enters a lumen of the sleeve from a stomach of the patient, the flow being in contact with a wall of the stomach of the patient.