A method of using a vibrating gastrointestinal capsule in coordination with an ingestible medicament for treatment of an ailment of the GI tract. The vibrating gastrointestinal capsule, is provided to the subject, and includes: a housing; a vibrating agitation mechanism causing the housing to exert vibrations on an environment thereof; a power supply for powering said vibrating agitation mechanism; and a control mechanism for activating said vibrating agitation mechanism to operate in said vibration mode of operation. The subject ingests the ingestible medicament and the vibrating gastrointestinal capsule. At least one of a time of ingesting of the vibrating gastrointestinal capsule and a timing or activation delay of the vibration mode of operation is controlled, such that the vibration mode of operation at least partially transpires or completely transpires within an actual or estimated absorption time period of the ingestible medicament within the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

A pellet for testing distal colonic and anorectal function. In one embodiment the pellet comprises a bag comprising the exterior of the pellet wherein the bag is comprised of a polymer that is reactive with a catalyst to form a more solid-like substance. In another embodiment, the pellet may comprise one of a grapheme layer, a wavelength transducer, or a magnetically attractive element. In another embodiment the pellet may comprise a telescopic extender and further comprise a telescope bad coupled to the telescopic extender.

A system includes implantable sensors and monitors and are operable to provide health-related feedback to users based on data received from the implantable sensors and monitors.

A drug delivery device includes a capsule, a logic circuit disposed within the capsule, and an actuator connected to the logic circuit and configured to expose an interior of the capsule to an exterior of the capsule upon activation by the logic circuit.

Methods, systems and apparatus for monitoring equivalent inner diameter of arteriole-like blood vessels and related cardiovascular parameters, where by measuring a time difference between signals from larger blood vessels, like arteries (excluding arterioles), and smaller blood vessels, similar to arterioles by their physiologic properties, also taking concurrent heart rate value into account.

In case the signal from larger blood vessels is measured geometrically relatively far from such a signal from smaller, arteriole-like blood vessels, said measured time difference may be evaluated by several ways in order to separate a PWTT component of time differences, obtained from said measured signals, from transient time component, including information about changes of diameter in arteriole-like vessels.

It also may be effective defining more correctly the role of blood viscosity in monitored vascular condition of patient.

A device includes an orally-administrable capsule and a tissue capture device coupled to the orally-administrable capsule. The tissue capture device is configured to connect to gastrointestinal tissue within a body. The tissue capture device is configured to detach from the orally-administrable capsule after the tissue capture device connects to the gastrointestinal tissue. A device includes an orally-administrable capsule, a tissue capture device coupled to the orally-administrable capsule, a chamber within the orally-administrable capsule, and an actuator. The tissue capture device includes multiple fasteners configured to connect the tissue capture device to gastrointestinal tissue within a body. The chamber is configured to draw gastrointestinal tissue towards the fasteners when a fluid pressure of the chamber is decreased. The actuator is configured to cause a decrease of the fluid pressure of the chamber.

Improvements in ingestible electronics with the capacity to sense physiologic and pathophysiologic states have transformed the standard of care for patients. Yet despite advances in device development, significant risks associated with solid, non-flexible gastrointestinal transiting systems remain. Here, we disclose an ingestible, flexible piezoelectric device that senses mechanical deformation within the gastric cavity. We demonstrate the capabilities of the sensor in both in vitro and ex vivo simulated gastric models, quantified its key behaviors in the GI tract by using computational modeling, and validated its functionality in awake and ambulating swine. Our piezoelectric devices can safely sense mechanical variations and harvest mechanical energy inside the gastrointestinal tract for diagnosing and treating motility disorders and for monitoring ingestion in bariatric applications.

There is provided a method for controlling a flow of intestinal contents in the intestinal passageway of a patient's intestines. The method comprises gently constricting (i.e., without substantially hampering the blood circulation in the intestinal tissue wall) at least one portion of the intestinal tissue wall to influence the flow in the intestinal passageway, and stimulating the constricted wall portion to cause contraction of the wall portion to further influence the flow in the intestinal passageway. The method can be used for restricting or stopping the flow in the intestinal passageway, or for actively moving the fluid in the intestinal passageway, with a low risk of injuring the intestines.

A device and method for mapping, diagnosing and treating disorders or other diseases, disorders or conditions (e.g., bleeding, ischemic or necrotic tissue, and presence of certain chemicals or substances) of the intestinal tract is provided using a capsule passing through the intestinal tract and sensing optical characteristics as the capsule passes through. Further, a capsule tracking system is provided for tracking a capsule's location along the length of an intestinal tract as various treatment and/or sensing modalities are employed. In one variation, an acoustic signal is used to determine the location of the capsule. A map of optical characteristics may be derived from the pass of a capsule to diagnose the disorder or disease. The capsule or subsequently passed capsules may treat, further diagnose or mark the intestinal tract at a determined location along its length.

A gastrointestinal (GI) sensor deployment device is disclosed. In implementations, the sensor deployment device includes an orally-administrable capsule with a tissue capture device removably coupled to the orally-administrable capsule. The tissue capture device includes a plurality of fasteners for connecting the tissue capture device to GI tissue within a body. A biometric sensor is coupled to the tissue capture device for continuous or periodic monitoring of the GI tract of the body at the GI tissue attachment location. A chamber within the orally-administrable capsule is configured to draw gastrointestinal tissue towards the plurality of fasteners when a fluid pressure of the chamber is increased. An actuator can be configured to cause an increase of the fluid pressure of the chamber. Control circuitry coupled to the actuator can be configured to trigger the actuator to cause the increase of the fluid pressure of the chamber at a selected time.