A suture instrument comprising an elongated outer sleeve (3) and a cannula (9) terminating in a distal piercing tip (12) is slideable within a cannula bore (7) extending through the outer sleeve (3). A plurality of sutures (15), are located in a suture bore (14) extending longitudinally through the cannula (9). Each suture (15) comprises a suture thread extending between a pair of anchor bars (20), and a cinch clip (24), which is located on a loop (22) of the suture thread (7) formed between the anchor bars (20), and is slideable along the loop (22) for reducing the effective length of the suture thread (17) between the anchor bars (20). The anchor bars (20) and the cinch clips (24) of the sutures (15) are aligned end-to-end sequentially along the suture bore (14) of the cannula (9) with the cinch clip (24) of each suture (15) located between the anchor bars (20) thereof. A pusher rod (35) slideable in the suture bore (14) is operable by a linear actuator for sequentially urging the anchor bars (20) and the cinch clip (24) of each suture (15) from the suture bore (14) through the distal piercing tip (12) of the cannula (9).

Embodiments include an end effector including an anvil, the anvil having an anvil face, an anvil blade channel defined by the anvil face, a first pocket row of first row staple pockets, a second pocket row of second row staple pockets, a third pocket row of third row staple pockets, a fourth pocket row of fourth row staple pockets, a fifth pocket row of fifth row staple pockets, a sixth pocket row of sixth row staple pockets, a cartridge having a cartridge face defining a cartridge blade channel, the cartridge being configured to retain a plurality of staples, and a blade, the blade having a cutting edge, where the blade is movable from a first position at a distal end of the cartridge to a second position at a proximal end of the cartridge.

A pre-assembled chain of staples is provided that is suitable for use in bariatric surgery. The pre-assembled chain of staples includes a plurality of staples, each of the staples having two spaced apart legs and a crown connector which joins the two legs to each other at upper ends thereof and spaces the two legs a predetermined fixed distance apart from each other at their upper ends. The chain of staples also includes rings for joining adjacent staples together, which rings can be separate from the staples.

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.

Devices and methods for treating obesity are provided. More particularly, intragastric devices and methods of fabricating, deploying, inflating, monitoring, and retrieving the same are provided. More particularly, apparatuses and methods for enabling volume-occupying intragastric devices to pass through the digestive system are provided.

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.

An obesity treatment apparatus comprises at least one operable stretching device (10) implantable in an obese patient and adapted to stretch a portion (12a) of the patient's stomach wall (12), and an operation device (16, 18) for operating the stretching device when implanted to stretch the stomach wall portion such that satiety is created.

Provided herein are balloon systems and related methods for the treatment of obesity. The system includes a trans-abdominal gastric cannula and size-varying balloons that, with the assistance of the cannula(s) and anchors, are specially positioned and anchored to the gastric wall. The size-varying balloon may have an annulus that in combination with reliable and precise balloon positioning, minimizes the risk of gastric obstruction during use. A malabsorption sleeve may be positioned in the small intestine to further restrict caloric intake through the small intestine. The specially-configured gastric cannula provides a platform for accessing the gastric environment that facilitates precise handling, manipulation, and placement of balloons, including an annular-shaped balloon, in the gastric environment, including by balloon anchors connecting the balloon wall to the lumen-facing stomach wall.

A intragastric device that contains a compressible free-floating structure and a sleeve attached thereto is provided. The device is considered to be anchorless as the sleeve is not physically attached to any portion of the GI tract. The device is configurable between a compressed pre-deployment configuration and an expanded post-deployment configuration. The free-floating device may be composed of a shape memory material such a nitinol. In some embodiments, the free-floating structure is space occupying and non-porous. The sleeve may be attached to the free-floating structure, such as with sutures and/or glue. In some embodiments, a stent may be inserted at the proximal end of the sleeve. A second free-floating structure may be connected to the free-floating structure such that there is an upper structure and a lower structure. In some embodiments, the gastrointestinal device is used to deliver prebiotic and/or probiotic therapy to a patient.

A gastrectomy device includes an elongated member and a tube. The elongated member has a proximal end and a distal end and defines a longitudinal side window disposed adjacent the distal end. The elongated member defines a first longitudinal channel, a second longitudinal channel, and a plurality of side apertures. The first longitudinal channel is in communication with the longitudinal side window and the plurality of side apertures is in communication with the second longitudinal channel. The tube extends through the first longitudinal channel. An array of lights is associated with the tube to provide illumination. The tube is movable through the elongated member between a first state, in which the tube is disposed within the first longitudinal channel of the elongated member, and a second state, in which a portion of the tube extends through the longitudinal side window of the elongated member.