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US 9,456,915 B2Granted
Methods, devices, and systems for obesity treatment
AssigneeFulfilium, Inc.
InventorsRichard D. Y. Chen, Craig A Johanson, Christopher S Jones, Reinhold H Dauskardt, Marc B Taub
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Upon filling multiple inflatable chambers of a gastric balloon structure in a patient's stomach, the gastric balloon structure assumes a natural three-dimensional kidney shape of the gastric cavity. A flexible central spine may span a gap between two inflatable chambers and may include lumens for inflation of one or both chambers. The plurality of compartments, when in an inflated state, may form a cavity therebetween through which food may pass and may leave in a stomach a residual volume of 10 ml to 100 ml.
Claims30
A gastric balloon structure for deploying in a gastric cavity of a patient, comprising:
- at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers, wherein each chamber of the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers has a respective inflated state volume such that deflation of any single chamber of the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers leaves the inflated state volume of the remaining chambers of the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers unaffected;
- a valve system for introducing a fluid into the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers and for retaining, upon inflation, the fluid in the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers;
- and
- a flexible central spine spanning a gap between and fixedly attached to both a first chamber of the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers and a second chamber of the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers;
- wherein the gastric balloon structure, in its inflated state, assumes a curved shape conforming to a natural three-dimensional kidney shape of the gastric cavity, such that the flexible central spine flexibly conforms, upon at least partially filling the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers, the gastric balloon structure to the natural three-dimensional kidney shape of the gastric cavity;
- and
- wherein a respective fluid volume for filling each chamber of the at least two isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers is selected based upon dimensions of the gastric cavity of the patient.
4 more elements
A method for treating obesity in a patient, comprising:
- measuring one or more dimensions of a gastric cavity of the patient in a feeding state;
- determining, based on the one or more dimensions of the gastric cavity, a respective fill volume for each chamber of a plurality of inflatable space-filling chambers of an obesity treatment device;
- positioning the obesity treatment device in the gastric cavity in a deflated state;
- and
- after positioning, at least partially filling each chamber of a plurality of inflatable space-filling chambers of the obesity treatment device with the respective volume of a same type of fluid via a valve system, wherein the respective volumes of fluid remain unadjusted during treatment;
- wherein the obesity treatment device assumes a natural three-dimensional kidney shape of the gastric cavity such that, upon at least partially filling the chambers, an outer surface of the obesity treatment device aligns against greater and lesser curvatures of the gastric cavity;
- and
- wherein the obesity treatment device, upon at least partially filling the chambers, rests within the gastric cavity without exerting undue pressure against the gastric cavity at any particular point.
5 more elements
An obesity treatment device for deploying in a stomach of a patient, comprising:
- a means for occupying an overall space-filling geometry having or conforming to a natural kidney shape of the stomach, upon inflation, by aligning an outer surface of the obesity treatment device against greater and lesser curvatures of the stomach;
- a means for isolating a plurality of inflatable space-filling regions of the overall space-filling geometry such that a collective inflated state volume of the plurality of inflatable space-filling regions remaining inflated after deflation of any single region of the plurality of inflatable space-filling regions prevents the obesity treatment device from passing through a pyloric valve of the stomach;
- and
- a means for distributing a fluid to the plurality of inflatable space-filling regions comprising a first means for receiving a fluid into a first inflatable space-filling region of the plurality of inflatable space-filling regions and for retaining the fluid in the first inflatable space-filling region, and a second means for receiving the fluid into the first inflatable space-filling region and for retaining the fluid in the first inflatable space-filling region, wherein the first means is provided in series with the second means;
- wherein a respective fluid volume for filling each region of the plurality of inflatable space-filling regions to occupy the overall space-filling geometry is selected based upon dimensions of the stomach of the patient.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.