Intestinal devices and methods for facilitating weight loss. In at least one embodiment of a method of patient treatment of the present disclosure, the method comprises the step of positioning a device, that is configured to reduce or limit localized intestinal distension, around a portion of an intestine of a patient.

The invention relates to devices that are stabilized at an intraluminal residence site in the gastrointestinal tract by their conformation, including dimensions of length and curvature. The device as a whole corresponds to the conformation of the residence site; more particularly, the curved or angled portions correspond to the curved or angled portions of the residence site and do not conform to an immediately proximal or distal site. In some embodiments, the conformationally stabilized device may effect a change in the residence site shape that contributes to stability of the device. Some embodiments are directed toward curbing appetite and/or reducing food intake, other embodiments may be directed toward other therapeutic ends. Some embodiments of the device are designed to reside wholly in the duodenum; others reside principally within the duodenum but extend proximally into the gastric antrum, while other embodiments are designed to reside elsewhere within the gastrointestinal tract.

A gastric calibration tube includes a flexible elongate member, a pushing member, and a balloon member. The flexible elongate member has a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and an outer surface that extends between the proximal and distal end portions. The outer surface defines a side opening. The flexible elongate member defines a lumen that is in communication with the side opening. The pushing member has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion is advanceable through the lumen of the flexible elongate member and out of the side opening of the flexible elongate member. The balloon member is secured to one or both of the flexible elongate member and the pushing member. The balloon member is inflatable to fix the gastric calibration tube within a patient's stomach.

A bile duct tube has a first portion which has a first end portion of the bile duct tube and is formed to have a diameter that allows insertion into a bile duct, a second portion which has a second end portion of the bile duct tube and is formed to have a diameter that allows insertion into an intestinal tract, and a first expansion member placed at the first portion. The first expansion member expands in a radial direction of the bile duct tube when a gas or liquid is injected into a void inside the first expansion member.

A gastrointestinal device and method for retrieving the device are disclosed. The device may include a stent including a plurality of strands forming first and second ends, the strands configured to move between a retrieval configuration, with substantially parallel strands, and a deployed configuration, wherein the strands form proximal and distal portions having first and second diameters larger than the pyloric sphincter. The device may include a connector assembly including proximal, middle, and distal connectors. The middle connector may be coupled to the proximal and distal connectors when the strands are in the deployed configuration. The strands may be attached to the proximal and distal connectors and the first and second ends. The device may include a release mechanism configured to decouple the proximal connector from the middle connector. Decoupling of the proximal and middle connectors may allow the strands to move from the deployed to retrieval configuration.

A method of using an implantable device provides an implantable device including a plurality of arcs. Each arc contains a multiplicity of links. The implantable device further includes a device closure pin, a lock-in unit attached and located between the three arcs, and a quick-release unit attached and located between three arcs. The plurality of arcs, the lock-in unit, and the release unit form a closed contour. The closed contour of the implantable device, in a rigid state is a three-dimensional shape.

A liner support frame is configured to be positioned in a gastrointestinal tract of a human and to support a liner which inhibits nutrient absorption and anchor the liner in place in the gastrointestinal tract, the liner support frame includes a plurality of frame members connected to one another so that the liner support frame possesses a plurality of openings. The liner support frame includes a plurality of frame portions arranged axially and possessing different tapers.

An intragastric device including (1) a first wire mesh structure having a pre-deployment shape, a post-deployment shape greater than the pre-deployment state, and one or more openings on an upper portion of the first wire mesh structure that are configured to permit food to enter the device, (2) a second wire mesh structure having a pre-deployment shape a post-deployment shape greater than the pre-deployment state, and one or more openings on a lower portion of the second wire mesh structure that are configured to permit food to exit the device. A sleeve may be coupled to the lower portion of the wire mesh structure. An anti-migration collar may interconnect the wire mesh structure and the sleeve. In use, food enters the upper portion of the first wire mesh structure, passes through both wire mesh structures, and then exits the lower portion of the second wire mesh structure.

A liner support frame is configured to be positioned in a gastrointestinal tract of a human and to support a liner which inhibits nutrient absorption and anchor the liner in place in the gastrointestinal tract, the liner support frame includes a plurality of frame members connected to one another so that the liner support frame possesses a plurality of openings. The liner support frame includes a plurality of frame portions arranged axially and possessing different tapers.

Elongate flexible medical devices can be capable of axial elongation through the mechanism of eversion or toposcopic expansion. In general, this may be accomplished by providing a flexible tubular device having a proximal end and a distal end. Retraction of the distal end in a proximal direction through the tubular body inverts the tube upon itself, causing an axial shortening of the overall length of the device. An original length of the device can be restored by coupling a pressurized media to the proximal end of the sleeve. If the distal end of the sleeve is temporarily restricted or closed, the pressurized media causes the distal end of the sleeve to travel distally until the full length of the sleeve has been restored.