A gastroplasty method involves a staple line that terminates prior to reaching the gastroesophageal junction such that the bypassed portion of the stomach does not require resection. Additionally, bougies are taught that assist a physician in following the improved staple line of the present invention.

A tissue wall of a biological lumen may be reinforced by embedding a material or structure into the tissue wall. The reinforcement material or structure may embed by application of outwardly directed force along an interior side of the tissue wall, threading, or injection. The reinforcement material or structure may act as an embedded scaffold that limits expansion or contraction of the tissue wall to pushing or pulling forces. An anchor device, such as a medical device, may anchor to the reinforced portion of the tissue wall.

The invention relates to deflector (100) to deflect rope (130) in orthopedic or medical accessories, or athletic accessories, whereby the deflector comprises at least first subcomponent (110) and second subcomponent (120), whereby first subcomponent (110) and second subcomponent (120) are adjustable, respectively, with only one degree of freedom against one another, and whereby first subcomponent (110) and second subcomponent (120) exhibit, respectively, at least one rope guidance element (111, 112, 121, 122) to deflect rope (130).

Described herein are interactive devices that mimic a portion of a human male and a female genitalia. The male device includes a unique bead drive assembly for providing an extending and retracting motion. Also included on the male device is a massager sub-assembly able to inflate and deflate while being able to slide along a shaft of the male device. The female device includes a clamshell constrictor having an inflation mechanism that is able to provide a squeezing motion as well as being able to slide back and forth within the body of the female device. Also disclosed herein are methods of communication and interaction between a pair of interactive devices or multiple interactive devices. Finally, methods of managing interactive sessions between multiple interactive devices are also described.

Described herein are interactive devices that mimic a portion of a human male and a female genitalia. The male device includes a unique bead drive assembly for providing an extending and retracting motion. Also included on the male device is a massager sub-assembly able to inflate and deflate while being able to slide along a shaft of the male device. The female device includes a clamshell constrictor having an inflation mechanism that is able to provide a squeezing motion as well as being able to slide back and forth within the body of the female device. Also disclosed herein are methods of communication and interaction between a pair of interactive devices or multiple interactive devices. Finally, methods of managing interactive sessions between multiple interactive devices are also described.

A method of preventing contraction and peristaltic wave action of an esophagus in which a GARD is placed, preventing displacement of the GARD towards or into a stomach, the method comprising injecting botulinum toxin very precisely in the muscular layer of the esophageal wall at the level where the GARD is or will be placed. A system comprising a catheter having one or two expandable balloon(s) which carries guide needle catheters that can pierce the esophageal wall and reach precisely the muscular layer of the wall of the esophagus, the needles used to inject the toxin at precisely the exact location in the esophageal wall in relationship with the GARD device to block esophageal peristalsis locally.

The present disclosure provides an intragastric implant capable of inducing the feeling of satiety from inside the stomach, together with a delivery device for delivering said implant. The system and method provides greater access to minimally invasive weight loss procedures for patients who are only overweight or obese, reducing the risks associated with more invasive procedures.

The invention relates surgical abdominal methods of treating obesity in a patient by implanting a volume filling device that, when implanted in a patient, reduces the food cavity in size by a volume substantially exceeding the volume of the volume filling device. Also disclosed is a laparoscopic instrument for providing a volume filling device to be invaginated in the stomach wall of a human patient to treat obesity.

Systems and methods are provided for supporting one or both legs of a user using a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user; and a leg support coupled to the harness configured to support a leg of the user, the leg support configured to accommodate movement of the leg while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user's arm. One or more compensation elements may be coupled to the leg support to apply an offset force to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the leg as the user moves and the leg support follows the movement of the user's leg, the one or more compensation elements providing a force profile that varies the offset force based on an orientation of the leg support.

Systems and methods are provided for supporting one or both legs of a user using a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user; and a leg support coupled to the harness configured to support a leg of the user, the leg support configured to accommodate movement of the leg while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user's arm. One or more compensation elements may be coupled to the leg support to apply an offset force to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the leg as the user moves and the leg support follows the movement of the user's leg, the one or more compensation elements providing a force profile that varies the offset force based on an orientation of the leg support.