Embodiments of the invention provide swallowable devices, preparations and methods for delivering drugs and other therapeutic agents within the GI tract. Particular embodiments provide a swallowable device such as a capsule for delivering drugs into the intestinal wall or other GI lumen. Embodiments also provide various drug preparations that are configured to be contained within the capsule, advanced from the capsule into the intestinal wall and degrade within the wall to release the drug to produce a therapeutic effect. The preparation can be coupled to a delivery mechanism having one or more balloons or other expandable devices which are expandable responsive to a condition in the small intestine or other GI lumen to advance the preparation out of the capsule into the intestinal wall. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for the delivery of drugs which are poorly absorbed, tolerated and/or degraded within the GI tract.

The disclosure provides for a device and method for dilation. The dilation device may include a catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a dilation expandable body in fluid communication with a first opening on the distal portion of the catheter body, and an occlusion anchor expandable body in fluid communication with a second opening on the distal portion of the catheter body. The method for dilating a stricture site may include inserting the dilation device into a stricture site of a patient, expanding the occlusion anchor expandable body at the stricture site, and expanding the dilation expandable body at the stricture site.

A gastrointestinal assembly may be deployed within a patient's gastrointestinal tract in order to facilitate drainage of an abscess. The gastrointestinal assembly may include an outer stent and an inner stent disposed within the outer stent. The inner stent divides a volume within the outer stent into a primary passageway through which nutritional contents may pass and a secondary passageway protected from nutritional contents and configured to accommodate a passive drainage system for draining the abscess.

Origami robots, and associated systems, methods of treatment, and methods of manufacture are provided. A system includes an origami robot encapsulated for ingestion by a patient, such as in a biocompatible material that is dissolvable or meltable within the gastrointestinal tract. A method of treatment includes delivering an origami robot in a folded position into a gastrointestinal tract of a patient, causing the origami robot to unfold within the gastrointestinal tract, and directing the origami robot to a site requiring treatment in the gastrointestinal tract.

The invention relates to a vacuum sponge unit for use in human or animal bodies, comprising a fluid collecting member, in particular a sponge unit, and a fluid communication member, in particular a drainage tube, which is disposed at least partially in the fluid collecting member and is connected in fluidic communication to the fluid collecting member. In order to improve known devices, the inventions proposed developing the vacuum sponge unit such that the fluid collecting member has a channel for guiding a guide member, in particular a guide wire, and/or a delivery member, in particular a probe unit and/or an endoscope, through the fluid collecting member.

Described herein are encapsulation devices that include an inner layer, an outer layer, a cell containment layer positioned between the inner and outer layer, and structural elements disposed within the cell containment layer to separate the inner and outer layers by a separation distance. The structural elements define reservoir spaces for the retention of a biological moiety (such as cells) therein. The structural elements maintain a separation distance both under external compressive forces and under internal expansive forces, such as undergoing a geometric change in the encapsulation device or during crushing and subsequent expansion of the cell encapsulation device. In some embodiments, a reinforcing layer is positioned between the inner layer and the cell containment layer. In addition, the encapsulation device may include at least one configuration element. Methods of placing encapsulation devices in a body conduit intra-luminally, extra-luminally, and via an open surgical procedure are also disclosed.

A vacuum therapy device for treatment of a defect internal of a human or animal body, the device comprising: a porous medium for treatment of the defect; a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the catheter is configured to be inserted into the body to enable deployment of the porous medium through an opening at the distal end for treatment of the defect; and a suction element within the catheter, the suction element comprising a suction tube connected to the porous medium to provide suction thereat; wherein the porous medium is movable between: (i) a proximal position in which a majority of the porous medium is inside the catheter for insertion of the catheter and the porous medium into the body, and (ii) a distal position in which a portion of the porous medium is located outside the catheter for treatment of the defect; wherein a cross-section of the shape of the porous medium includes one or more spokes extending radially outward, wherein two adjacent spokes are separated by a separation region, wherein the separation region is more flexible and/or compressible than the spokes.

Embodiments of the invention provide swallowable devices, preparations, and methods for delivering drugs and other therapeutic agents within the GI tract. Particular embodiments provide a swallowable device such as a capsule for delivering drugs or other therapeutic agents (TA) into a wall of the GI tract such as the stomach or small intestine. The swallowable device comprises a sensor, a combustible propellant (CP) and a therapeutic agent preparation (TAP) comprising at least one TA. The sensor triggers the CP to ignite and propel the TAP into the wall of the GI tract in response to an external condition or change in external condition. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for orally delivering drugs or other TAs which are degraded within the GI tract and require parenteral injection.

Devices for palliating gastrointestinal strictures using rapid exchange type enteral stent placement catheters. The catheter may include an inner member and an outer member, with the two members being slidable with respect to one another. In various device embodiments, a ramp for directing a guidewire out from within the catheter is provided using portions of the outer member or a shaped mandrel. The inner member may take a number of forms, including a tubular distal portion, a skived or integrally attached elongate midsection, and a proximal portion. A mandrel can be used in a portion proximal of the guidewire ramp, with the mandrel taking one of several disclosed forms.

A medical system includes a propellant source containing a propellant fluid, containers containing a material, and a shaft having a plurality of lumens, each of the plurality of lumens having a first opening at a proximal end of the shaft and a second opening at a distal end of the shaft. The plurality of lumens are fluidly coupled to one or more of the propellant source and at least one of the plurality of containers, and a first lumen surrounds, is coaxial with, or is side-by-side with, at least one other lumen.