Devices and methods for detecting meal intake are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, one or more sensors can be used to detect or monitor physiological parameters of a user (e.g., heart rate, body movements, temperature, pH, impedance, gastric stretch, sound emissions, and the like). The outputs of the sensors can be received by a computer system configured to analyze the sensor data and make a determination as to whether meal intake has occurred or is presently occurring. The computer system's determination can be used to trigger, modulate, or otherwise control one or more therapeutic devices. Other types of devices can also be controlled using this determination, such as monitoring or logging devices.

A device for controlling the weight of a body comprises a net-shaped basket system. The basket is custom made for each patient by 3D printing technology using silicone material based on a physician's assessment of height, weight, and energy consumption of obese patients. With several MEMS pressure sensors embedded inside the basket material, it is placed on the outer wall of the patient's stomach by laparoscopic surgery. The sensor can measure the pressure of the stomach in real time. When the patient eats too much, the pressure reaches the threshold level set by the doctor, and the monitor will immediately remind the obese person to stop eating. If the patient ignores the warning and continues to eat, the basket will reach its distensible limit, forcing a patient to stop taking food. Food intake of obese patients can be controlled quantitatively via the basket system and the gastric motility can be diagnosed via the pressure-time curve.

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.

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.

Devices and methods for detecting meal intake are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, one or more sensors can be used to detect or monitor physiological parameters of a user (e.g., heart rate, body movements, temperature, pH, impedance, gastric stretch, sound emissions, and the like). The outputs of the sensors can be received by a computer system configured to analyze the sensor data and make a determination as to whether meal intake has occurred or is presently occurring. The computer system's determination can be used to trigger, modulate, or otherwise control one or more therapeutic devices. Other types of devices can also be controlled using this determination, such as monitoring or logging devices.

A gastric positioning device includes a distal tip disposed at a distal end portion of an elongate shaft. The distal tip has an asymmetrical geometry including a closed distal end having a blunt apex aligned along a tip axis that is laterally offset from a central longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft. The gastric positioning device may additionally or alternatively include a handle extending from a proximal end portion of the elongate shaft and a force monitoring system including a force sensor for detecting force applied to the distal tip and an indicator for signaling when the force exceeds a pre-set force threshold value.

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 and methods for treating obesity are provided. More particularly, intragastric devices and methods of fabricating, deploying, inflating, locating, tracking, monitoring, deflating, and retrieving the same are provided.

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.