An obesity treatment device is provided, the device comprising: 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.

A gastrointestinal barrier implant including a support, a distal barrier tube extending from the support in a first direction, and a proximal retainer extending from the support in a direction opposite to said first direction, wherein the proximal retainer is adapted to be anchored to an internal wall of the stomach of a user and to extend from the stomach through the pyloric orifice such that the support is located below the pyloric orifice, the support depending from the proximal retainer, and wherein the distal barrier tube depends from the support so as to provide a liner through the duodenum. A surgical anchor suitable for fastening an implant to body tissues in vivo, the anchor comprising a mounting head and a pair of legs extending from the mounting head, distal end portions of the pair of legs remote from the mounting head being adapted to pierce the implant and body tissues, the mounting head being engageable by a coupling device for deploying and retrieving the anchor in use, the pair of legs being movable relative to the mounting head between a piercing configuration assumed by the legs at a first temperature in which the distal ends of the legs are mutually positioned to pierce the implant and tissues for installation of the anchor, and an anchoring configuration assumed by the legs at a higher temperature in which the distal ends of the legs are displaced away from the piercing configuration for securing the implant and tissues in use. A tool for delivering and placing a surgical anchor, comprising a handle carrying a flexible filament of a length to enable its endoscopic introduction to the zone in which the anchor is to be placed, the filament comprising a sheath and a flexible core displaceable longitudinally within the sheath, means carried by the handle and actuable for displacing the core relative to the sheath, the core having at a distal end a coupling device for releasably engaging a head of the surgical anchor, and the sheath having at a distal end a housing for retaining the coupling device and anchor engaged therewith in a retracted condition of the coupling device within the housing, displacement of the core forwardly relative to the sheath causing the coupling device and anchor to move forwardly from the housing for placement of the anchor and release of the anchor from the coupling device.

The invention relates to an intraluminar method of treating a reflux disease in a patient by implanting a device comprising an movement restriction device that, when implanted in a patient, fills a volume in the patient's abdomen that is close to and at least partially above the patient's cardia when the patient is in a standing position. The invention further relates to a method of restoring the location of the cardia in a patient suffering from a reflux disease and to an instrument suitable to use with intraluminar method and/or restoration method. Also disclosed are instruments treating a patient suffering hiatal hernia and providing a movement restriction device to be invaginated in the stomach fundus wall.

A high molecular weight polyethylene polymer is formulated so that the polymer is capable of being injection molded. The polyethylene polymer has a Viscosity Number of greater than about 400 ml/g and has a melt flow rate of greater than about 0.9 g/10 min. The polyethylene polymer is of high purity and is particularly well suited for producing medical products.

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.

The present invention relates to a reflux disease treatment apparatus comprising an implantable movement restriction device that maintains cardia in the correct position and an implantable stimulation device adapted to engage with the cardia sphincter of a patient. The invention further comprises a control device for controlling the stimulation device to stimulate the cardia sphincter. The invention can be combined with various methods for treating obesity, in particular methods that creats satiety by stretching the wall of the stomach or fills out a volume of the stomach.

Devices, system and methods for deforming body channels are disclosed herein. At least some embodiments described may be used to deform a body channel so as to decrease or prevent the normal intrachannel flow of material within the body channel. Such deformation may be used to treat such maladies as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

A sphincter assist device includes a plurality of interconnected and adjacent links which define a ring. Each link includes a body section and a latch cam. The body section includes a first set of side beams and a first set of snap arms. The latch cam includes a post extending from the body section and a cam disposed at an end portion of the post. The cam is engagable with the first set of snap arms of an adjacent link. Translation of the cam displaces the first set of snap arms and the first set of side beams to transition the sphincter assist device between open and closed configurations. The first set of snap arms, in combination with the first set of side beams, exert a positive non-linear force profile on the cam, thus defining a non-linear force profile of the sphincter assist device between the open and closed configurations.

A surgical or laparoscopic method of treating obesity of a patient using a device adapted to stretch a portion of the stomach wall of said patient. The method comprising the steps of: cutting a hole in the abdominal wall of said patient, dissecting an area around the stomach, placing said device in contact with the stomach, and fixating, direct or indirect, through invagination of the stomach wall, said device to the stomach wall such that said device can stretch a portion of said stomach wall.

An implantable sphincter assistance device is configured to surround an exterior wall of an esophagus. The implantable sphincter assistance device includes a plurality of beads, at least one connector, and secondary material. Each of the beads has an exterior surface. The connector is configured to serially connect the beads to form a ring. The secondary material is configured to be disposed between the exterior surface of at least one of the beads and the exterior wall of the esophagus. The secondary material is configured to control remodeling of tissue surrounding the exterior wall of the esophagus.