An apparatus for the treatment of acid reflux disease comprising two or more movement restriction device segments adapted to be movement restriction device of a controlled size. The movement restriction device can at least partly be invaginated by a patient's stomach fundus wall. A substantial part of the outer surface of the movement restriction device is adapted to rest against the stomach wall without injuring the latter in a position between the patient's diaphragm and at least a portion of the lower part of the invaginated stomach fundus wall, such that movement of the cardiac notch of the patient's stomach towards the patient's diaphragm is restricted, to thereby prevent the cardia from sliding through the patient's diaphragm opening into the patient's thorax, so as to maintain the supporting pressure against the patient's cardia sphincter muscle exerted from the patient's abdomen.

The invention relates to an anchor (14) for an implant (20) for use in the gastro-intestinal tract. The anchor (14) comprises a tissue contact portion (16) with a bedding region (16a). The bedding region (16a) is configured to at least partly integrate into, or to promote integration into, a wall of the gastro-intestinal tract.

A method is used to reduce a volume of a stomach of a patient. The method includes inverting a portion of a stomach wall to thereby create an inverted portion. An expandable member is positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the inverted portion. The expandable member is expanded to thereby expand the inverted portion. The expanded expandable member has a first outer diameter. A base region of the inverted portion is cinched to thereby capture the expanded expandable member in the expanded inverted portion. The expanded expandable member has a first outer diameter. Expanding and cinching provide a cinch diameter to first outer diameter ratio from approximately 0.5:1 to approximately 0.9:1.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for endoscopically shaping and standardizing the size of a sleeved stomach for use in gastric reduction surgery. The device and method standardize and streamline gastric reduction surgery, specifically vertical sleeve gastrectomy, providing a guide for creating the stomach reduction and also shaping a stomach which will maintain an appropriate structure post-surgery.

A gastroscopic method and instrument for treating obesity of a patient, using a device adapted to stretch a part of the stomach wall of said patient. The method comprises the steps of: inserting the device into the stomach through the esophagus, placing the device in contact with the stomach wall, and fixating the device to the stomach wall such that the device can stretch a part of the stomach wall.

A biocompatible implant for a method of treating a reflux disease in a patient by preventing the cardia sphincter from sliding through the patient's diaphragm hiatus opening into the patient's thorax, so as to maintain a pressure support from the patient's abdomen that supports the patient's cardia sphincter. The biocompatible implant has a rigid shape, a circumference of at least 15 mm and is configured to be introduced into the patent's abdomen through a trocar, be fully invaginatable in the patient's fundus wall, and function as an implantable movement restricting device preventing the cardia sphincter from sliding through the patient's diaphragm, when implanted.

A method of deploying an intraluminal device to the cardiac region of the stomach and an intraluminal system used to deploy an intraluminal device to the cardiac region of the stomach, wherein the intraluminal device has a wall defining a surface and an open portion of the surface that is adapted to be aligned with the gastroesophageal (GE) junction. The surface and the cardiac portion of the stomach are conformable with each other. The method includes deploying the intraluminal device trans-orally to the stomach with an endoscopic deployment device and retaining the device against the cardiac region of the stomach with the open portion generally aligned with the GE junction. The intraluminal device is fastened to the stomach from the abdominal cavity with at least one laparoscopic instrument while concurrently visualizing the device with an endoscope in the stomach while it is being fastened. The laparoscopic instrument is adapted to respond to the endoscope in order to adjust location between the laparoscopic instrument and intraluminal device while the laparoscopic instrument is fastening the intraluminal device.

An apparatus for the treatment of acid reflux disease comprising two or more movement restriction device segments adapted to be movement restriction device of a controlled size. The movement restriction device can at least partly be invaginated by a patient's stomach fundus wall. A substantial part of the outer surface of the movement restriction device is adapted to rest against the stomach wall without injuring the latter in a position between the patient's diaphragm and at least a portion of the lower part of the invaginated stomach fundus wall, such that movement of the cardiac notch of the patient's stomach towards the patient's diaphragm is restricted, to thereby prevent the cardia from sliding through the patient's diaphragm opening into the patient's thorax, so as to maintain the supporting pressure against the patient's cardia sphincter muscle exerted from the patient's abdomen.

An implantable device for the treatment of acid reflux disease has a body including an outer surface adapted to rest against a patient's fundus wall. The device, when implanted in the patient, fills a volume in the patient's abdomen in the cardia area and above the cardia of the patient, when standing. The body prevents the cardia from moving through the diaphragm opening into the thorax, thereby preventing reflux by keeping the abdominal pressure supporting the cardia sphincter muscle. The device may be affixed to stomach tissue. The device may also be invaginated or otherwise indirectly secured in position.

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.