# US 9,517,152 B2 · Responsive gastric stimulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,152 B2 - Document ID: US9517152B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/590,740 - Filed: 2015-01-06 - Published: 2015-04-30 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2001-05-01 - Assignees: IntraPace, Inc. - Applicants: IntraPace, Inc. - Inventors: Mir A. Imran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517152B2 ## CPC - A61F 5/0026: {Anti-eating devices using electrical stimulation} - A61N 1/36007: {of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control} - A61N 1/36085: {Eating disorders or obesity} - A61B 2017/00004: {(bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive} - A61B 2017/00017: {Electrical control of surgical instruments} - A61B 2017/00026: {Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue} - A61B 2017/00084: {Temperature} - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61F 2005/0016: {comprising measuring means} - A61M 25/02: Holding devices, e.g. on the body - A61M 2025/0233: {specifically adapted for attaching to a body wall by means which are on both sides of the wall, e.g. for attaching to an abdominal wall} - A61M 2025/028: {having a mainly rigid support structure} - A61N 1/372: Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators - 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) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A responsive gastrointestinal stimulation device is provided where one or more sensors sense data corresponding to a subject or the gastrointestinal tract of a subject and responds to sensing the data by stimulating, adjusting stimulation, or stopping stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract. A stimulation device is also provided to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract to produce a sensation of satiety or to control hunger or food consumption. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for providing obesity therapy to a patient in response to a material ingested by the patient, the method comprising: directing emission of one or more wavelengths of light from at least one light source disposed within the patient; receiving, in response to the emission of light, data sensed from an implantable device implanted inside the patient, the device including a transgastric probe having an intragastric optical sensor surface disposed within a cavity of a stomach of the patient so as to generate intragastric optically-sensed data; determining a characteristic of the material ingested by the patient in response to the intragastric optically-sensed data; transmitting signals from implanted electronic circuitry of the implantable device to external circuitry outside the patient, and outputting the ingested material characteristic from the external circuitry in response to the signals, wherein outputting the ingested material characteristic comprises communicating to a person other than the patient, and wherein the implanted electronic circuitry is disposed within the patient outside the stomach cavity and is coupled to the transgastric probe; and wherein the outputting of the ingested material characteristic is performed so as to enhance efficacy of the obesity therapy of the patient in response to the ingested material characteristic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is an LED or optical fiber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the directing includes pulsing light into the stomach. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the intragastric optical sensor senses reflected or transmitted light. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the reflected or transmitted light indicates reflectance or absorption of wavelengths of light corresponding to the material ingested. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the processor identifies the material ingested by the patient as being either healthy or unhealthy material based on the sensed reflected or transmitted light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: stimulating the stomach with at least one electrode implanted within the stomach of the patient. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the stimulating causes the stomach of the patient to retain ingested material when the processor identifies the material as healthy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the stimulating causes the stomach of the patient to experience discomfort when the processor identifies the material as unhealthy. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: marking a nutritious food with a fluorescing substance prior to ingestion of the nutritious food by the patient whereby, after ingestion of the nutritious food by the patient, the food is identified as having a characteristic wavelength of light indicative of healthy material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein communicating to a person other than the patient provides an opportunity to monitor ingestion behavior and provide feedback to the patient. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: maintaining a log of sensed data to provide a history of ingested material. ### Claim 13 A device for providing obesity therapy to a patient in response to a material ingested by the patient, the device comprising: a transgastric probe disposed within the stomach of the patient; a intragastric optical sensor attached the probe; at least one light source attached to the transgastric probe; a processor coupled to the intragastric optical sensor, wherein the processor is configured to determine a characteristic of the material ingested by the patient in response to intragastric optically-sensed data; and electronic circuitry configured to receive telemetric signals from implanted circuitry of the device and transmit the signals to external circuitry outside the patient, the signals indicative of the characteristic of the material ingested by the patient; wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to communicate the characteristic of the material ingested by the patient to a person other than the patient and the obesity therapy so as to enhance efficacy of the obesity therapy in response to the characteristic of the material ingested by the patient. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the intragastric optical sensor is configured to sense reflected or transmitted light, the light indicative of reflectance or absorption of wavelengths of light corresponding to ingested material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The device of claim 14, wherein the processor identifies the material ingested by the patient as being either healthy or unhealthy material based on the sensed reflected or transmitted light. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, further comprising: at least one electrode implanted within the stomach of the patient, the electrode arranged to deliver electrically stimulating signals to the stomach in response to material ingested by the patient. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the intragastric optical sensor includes a concave portion forming an opening to temporarily receive a sample of the material ingested by the patient.