Intragastric fluid transfer devices and related methods for operation thereof are disclosed. The intragastric fluid transfer devices and related methods are intended to assist a patient in maintaining a healthy body weight by stimulating the inner stomach walls and/or the inner duodenum walls. Features of the intragastric fluid transfer device include insertion of the devices transorally and without invasive surgery, without associated patient risks of invasive surgery, and without substantial patient discomfort. The life span of these intragastric fluid transfer devices may be material-dependent upon long-term survivability within an acidic stomach, but is intended to last one year or longer.

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 creates satiety by stretching the wall of the stomach or fills out a volume of the stomach.

An apparatus for treating obesity comprises a volume filling device formed by at least two segments and is provided and following implantation, the device is placed resting against the stomach wall of the patient to reduce the inner volume of the stomach, thereby affecting the patients appetite.

An apparatus for treating obesity in a human or animal mammal patient. The apparatus comprising a first volume filling device segment and a second volume filling device segment. The first and second volume filling device segments are adapted to be assembled into an implantable volume filling device of a controlled size. Each one of the first and second volume filling device segment comprises at least one interconnecting structure. The interconnecting structure of the second volume filling device segment is adapted to be formed fitted, such that the first and second volume filling device segment can be assembled into the volume filling device. The assembled volume filling device is adapted to be at least substantially invaginated by a stomach wall portion of a patient, with the outer surface of the device resting against the stomach wall, such that the volume of the food cavity is reduced in size.

A variety of passive intragastric implant devices for obesity treatment are disclosed. Such passive implants do not autonomously change shape, but instead react within the stomach to induce satiety. The implants may take up volume within the stomach, thus reducing the digestive capacity. Additionally, the implants may contact areas within the stomach, such as the cardia surrounding the esophageal sphincter, to stimulate satiety-inducing nerves. Also, a number of implants slow gastric emptying by blocking or otherwise impeding flow through the pyloric sphincter. Other implants delay digestion by providing a duodenal sleeve. A number of implants combine two or more of these satiety-inducing features. Methods of implant are disclosed including compressing the implants within a delivery tube and transorally advancing the implants through the esophagus to be deployed within the stomach. Removal of the implants occurs in the reverse.

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.

In one aspect, a gastric balloon structure includes multiple isolated non-concentric inflatable chambers and a valve system for introducing fluid into each chamber, where the structure assumes, upon inflating, a curved shape conforming to a natural three-dimensional kidney shape of the gastric cavity.

A bariatric device for use in inducing weight loss, comprising a cardiac element, a pyloric element, and a connecting element between the two other elements, wherein the connecting element provides structure between the cardiac and pyloric elements, keeping them largely in place and at least intermittently touching and applying pressure to the stomach's cardiac, adjacent fundic and pyloric regions, respectively, which produces a satiety signal to the user, giving the recipient a feeling of fullness and reducing his or her hunger feelings. In an alternative embodiment, the pyloric and connecting elements may be replaced with a positioning element, which keeps the cardiac element in its relative position by pushing against various structures in the stomach. In any of the embodiments, the bariatric device may be made from multiple sizes or adjustable, either manually, automatically or remotely, to optimally size and/or position the device to produce the desired satiety signals and weight loss.

Inflation devices for inflating intragastric devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In several embodiments, an inflation device can include a tube, an inner detent, and an outer detent. The tube can extend from a proximal portion of the inflation device to a distal portion of the inflation device, and can include a handle at the proximal portion and a barb at the distal portion. The barb can have a cross-sectional dimension greater than a cross-sectional dimension of a corresponding inflation port of an intragastric device. The inner detent can be positioned over the barb and can include a mating interface. The outer detent can be positioned over the inner detent, and can be configured to attach over a proximal cap of the intragastric device. The tube can be longitudinally advanceable relative to at least one of the inner and outer detents.

A sealing device attached to an intragastric balloon device having a at least one flexible membrane aligned with and configured to seal an aspiration port of a lumen when the membrane is in a closed state and further configured to provide access to the lumen when the membrane is in a open state.