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.

An apparatus for treating obesity comprises a volume filling device formed by at least two segments and is provided and following implantation, the device is placed resting against the stomach wall of the patient to reduce the inner volume of the stomach, thereby affecting the patients appetite.

A gastrointestinal device for treating obesity includes a three-dimensional porous structure configurable between a compressed pre-deployment configuration to facilitate delivery and an expanded post-deployment configuration. The porous structure includes a first opening at its proximal end and a larger second opening at its distal end. The porous structure also includes a sleeve coupled to its distal end. Optionally, the device further includes a suture at the proximal end of the wire mesh structure to facilitate retrieval and an anti-migration component positioned at the junction of the porous structure with the sleeve. The porous structure is deployed in a patient's stomach such that the anti-migration component sits proximal to the patient's pylorus and prevents migration of the entirety of the device into and through the pylorus. The sleeve extends through the pylorus, into the duodenum and ends in the duodenum or jejunum. Food enters the device from the first opening at the proximal end of the porous structure, passes through the porous structure and sleeve, and exits at the distal end of the sleeve. The device treats obesity by providing a relatively immovable volume occupying structure in the stomach and a bypass for food past the pylorus and proximal portion of the small intestine. Optionally, the device further acts to slow the passage of food through the digestive tract. Patients with the device experience satiety more quickly and have a prolonged sensation of satiety.

A gastrointestinal device for treating obesity includes a three-dimensional porous structure configurable between a compressed pre-deployment configuration to facilitate delivery and an expanded post-deployment configuration. The porous structure includes a first opening at its proximal end and a larger second opening at its distal end. The porous structure also includes a sleeve coupled to its distal end. Optionally, the device further includes a suture at the proximal end of the wire mesh structure to facilitate retrieval and an anti-migration component positioned at the junction of the porous structure with the sleeve. The porous structure is deployed in a patient's stomach such that the anti-migration component sits proximal to the patient's pylorus and prevents migration of the entirety of the device into and through the pylorus. The sleeve extends through the pylorus, into the duodenum and ends in the duodenum or jejunum. Food enters the device from the first opening at the proximal end of the porous structure, passes through the porous structure and sleeve, and exits at the distal end of the sleeve. The device treats obesity by providing a relatively immovable volume occupying structure in the stomach and a bypass for food past the pylorus and proximal portion of the small intestine. Optionally, the device further acts to slow the passage of food through the digestive tract. Patients with the device experience satiety more quickly and have a prolonged sensation of satiety.

An obesity treatment apparatus comprises at least one operable stretching device implantable in an obese patient and adapted to stretch a portion of the patient's stomach wall, and an operation device for operating the stretching device when implanted to stretch the stomach wall portion such that satiety is created.

Valve assemblies for use with expandable devices that are positioned within remote cavities and more particularly relates to the catheters/conduits used to inflate these devices with fluid.

A gastric outflow device is described. The gastric outflow device includes a ring having a ring aperture; and a topper having a topper aperture, the topper attachable to the ring, the topper aperture alignable with the ring aperture to form the gastric outflow device aperture. The gastric outflow device aperture can be adjusted wirelessly, percutaneously, by replacing the topper, and/or by including an expandable compartment surrounding the aperture, the expandable compartment increasing and decreasing the gastric outflow device aperture on being filled with filling material and having the filling material extracted, respectively.

Disclosed are example embodiments of systems and methods for implantation in a pylorus between a stomach and duodenum for promoting weight loss. An example device for implantation in a pylorus between a stomach and duodenum includes a stomach portion configured to anchor the device in the stomach; The example device includes a pyloric portion extending from the stomach portion. The example device includes a duodenal portion extending from the pyloric portion and a channel extending in an axial direction through the stomach portion. The pyloric portion and the duodenal portion, for allowing passage of food material through the device from the stomach to the duodenum. The duodenal portion includes a portion configured to elongate in the axial direction upon compression.

Various devices, systems, and methods that can be used in the treatment of obesity and related illnesses are disclosed. In some instances, the cecum of an obese patient is distended to a pathophysiological size for a therapeutically effective period. The distention may be achieved by introduction of an object that is of foreign origin relative to the body of the patient into the cecum of the patient. In some instances, the distention is achieved by a medical device that transitions from an undeployed state, in which the medical device is introduced into the cecum of the patient, to an expanded state in which the medical device distends the cecum by an amount sufficient to trigger a colo-gastric brake in the patient.

A device (10) for treatment of obesity or diabetes comprises a duodenal tube (12), first anchor (14) arranged at a pre-defined distance (D) from a proximal end (15) of the duodenal tube (12). The first anchor (14) is adapted for anchoring the tube (12) distally to the pylorus (P) without mucosal involvement. A second anchor (17) in the form of a conical, inflatable balloon is used for anchoring the device (10) in the stomach (S) of the patient. The duodenal tube (12) is flexible and can be arranged in the duodenum (D) and in the jejunum (J) of the patient.