Non-injection port food intake restriction device

Abstract

A food intake restriction device for forming a stoma opening in the stomach or esophagus of a patient, comprises an elongated restriction member forming an expandable and contractible cavity formed into an at least substantially closed loop defining a restriction opening, the size of which is reduced upon expansion of the cavity and increased upon contraction of said cavity. A reservoir containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid and connected to the cavity of the restriction member, and a hydraulic operation device for distributing fluid from the reservoir to the cavity to expand the cavity and for distributing fluid from the cavity to the reservoir to contract the cavity, are also implanted in a patient with morbid obesity and operated from outside the patient's body in a non-invasive manner. A non-inflatable restriction member may alternatively be use, and hydraulically adjusted.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A food intake restriction device for forming a stoma opening in the stomach or esophagus of a patient, comprising: 
 an elongated restriction member implanted in the patient forming an expandable and contractible cavity, said elongated restriction member formed into an at least substantially closed loop surrounding the patient's stomach or esophagus, and defining a restriction opening, the size of which is reduced upon expansion of said cavity and increased upon contraction of said cavity;    a reservoir implanted in the patient containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid and connected to said cavity of said restriction member, and    hydraulic operation means implanted in the patient for distributing fluid from said reservoir to said cavity to expand said cavity, and for distributing fluid from said cavity to said reservoir to contract said cavity, to thereby control the size of the restriction opening.    
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said reservoir defines a chamber for said predetermined amount of fluid and said hydraulic operation means changes the size of said chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein said hydraulic operation means comprises first and second wall portions of said reservoir, which are displaceable relative to each other to change the size of said chamber of said reservoir.  
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein said first and second wall portions of said reservoir are displaceable relative to each other by manual manipulation thereof; and wherein said first and second wall portions of said reservoir are designed to be displaceable relative to each other by manually pushing, pulling or rotating any of said wall portions in one direction; and wherein said first and second wall portions of said reservoir are displaceable relative to each other by magnetic means, by hydraulic means, or by electric control means such as an electric motor; and wherein said hydraulic operation means distributes fluid from said reservoir to said cavity of said restriction member in response to a predetermined first displacement of said first wall portion of said reservoir relative to said second wall portion of said reservoir and distributes fluid from said cavity to said reservoir in response to a predetermined second displacement of said first wall portion relative to said second wall portion.  
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said hydraulic operation means comprises an activatable pump for pumping fluid between said reservoir and said cavity of said restriction member; and wherein said pump comprises a first activation member for activating said pump to pump fluid from said reservoir to said cavity of said restriction member and a second activation member for activating said pump to pump fluid from said cavity to said reservoir; and wherein said first and second activation members are operable by manual manipulation thereof, by manually pushing, pulling or rotating thereof in one direction; and wherein at least one of said activation members operates when subjected to an external pressure exceeding a predetermined magnitude.  
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said hydraulic operation means comprises an activatable pump for pumping fluid between said reservoir and said cavity of said restriction member; and wherein said pump comprises a first activation member for activating said pump to pump fluid from said reservoir to said cavity of said restriction member and a second activation member for activating said pump to pump fluid from said cavity to said reservoir; and wherein at least one of said first and second activating members are operable by magnetic means, or by hydraulic means, or by electric control means such as an electric motor.  
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said hydraulic operation means comprises a servo means.  
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein said hydraulic operation means comprises first and second wall portions of said reservoir, and said servo means provides relative displacement between said first and second wall portions of reservoir; and wherein said servo means comprises magnetic means, electric means, or hydraulic means in which said servo means comprises a servo reservoir defining a chamber containing servo fluid and said hydraulic operation means comprises first and second wall portions of said servo reservoir, which are displaceable relative to each other to change the size of said chamber of said servo reservoir; and wherein said first and second wall portions of said servo reservoir are designed to be displaceable relative to each other by manual manipulation thereof; and wherein said first and second wall portions of said servo reservoir are displaceable relative to each other by manually pushing, pulling or rotating any of said wall portions of said servo reservoir in one direction; and wherein said first and second wall portions of said servo reservoir are displaceable relative to each other by magnetic means, or by hydraulic means, or by electric control means such as an electric motor.  
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless remote control means for controlling said hydraulic operation means.  
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein said remote control means comprises a separate signal transmitting means and a signal receiving means adapted to control said hydraulic operation means in response to signals received from said signal transmitting means; wherein said remote control means comprises a motor for operating said hydraulic operation means and an energizer unit for providing energy, and said signal receiving means comprises a control unit adapted to power said motor with energy provided by said energizer unit in response to signals received from said signal transmitting means; and wherein said energizer unit comprises a power supply; and wherein said control unit is adapted to power said motor with energy from said power supply; and wherein said power supply is an electric power supply and said motor is an electric motor; wherein said electric power supply is a battery; wherein said motor is an electric motor.  
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10  wherein said signal transmitting means is adapted to transmit electromagnetic wave signals and said energizer unit draws radiant energy from said electromagnetic wave signals as they are transmitted to said signal receiving means and transfer said radiant energy into electric energy for powering said electric motor; wherein said energizer unit comprises a rechargeable electric power supply for storing said electric energy and said control unit powers said electric motor with energy from said rechargeable electric power supply in response to signals received from said signal transmitting means.  
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein said remote control means comprises separate signal transmitting means and signal receiving means, said signal receiving means controlling said hydraulic operation means in response to signals received from said signal transmitting means; wherein said remote control means comprises a motor for operating said hydraulic operation means and an energizer unit for providing energy, and said signal receiving means comprises a control unit adapted to power said motor with energy provided by said energizer unit in response to signals received from said signal transmitting means; and wherein said motor is an electric motor powered by a rechargeable electric power supply; and wherein said signal transmitting means transmits electromagnetic wave signals and said energizer unit draws radiant energy from said electromagnetic wave signals as they are transmitted to said signal receiving means and transfers said radiant energy into a current for charging said rechargeable electric power supply.  
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said rechargeable electric power supply is a capacitor.  
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said energizer unit comprises a coil connected to said signal receiving means for inducing an alternating current as electromagnetic wave signals are transmitted through said coil to said signal receiving means and a rectifier for rectifying said alternating current.  
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 10  wherein said electric power supply comprises a capacitor, and said electric motor is a stepping motor.  
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 10  wherein said energizer unit comprises a battery, an electrically operable switch connects said battery to said signal receiving means in an “on” mode when said switch is powered and to keep said battery disconnected from said signal receiving means in a “standby” mode when said switch is unpowered, and a rechargeable electric power supply for powering said switch; and wherein said control unit powers said electric motor with energy from said battery in response to signals received from said signal transmitting means, when said switch is in its “on” mode.  
     
     
         17 . A food intake restriction device for surgical application in the abdomen of a patient for forming a stoma opening in the stomach or esophagus of said patient, said device comprising: 
 an elongated non-inflatable restriction member formed into at least a substantially closed loop around the patient's stomach or the esophagus, and defining a restriction opening,    an adjustment device which mechanically adjusts said restriction member in said loop to change the size of said restriction opening,    hydraulic operation means implanted in the patient for operating said adjustment device, and    a reservoir implanted in the patient containing a predetermined amount of fluid for supplying said hydraulic operation means with hydraulic fluid.    
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the adjustment device comprises a servo means.  
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the servo means comprise a hydraulic operation means, or an electric control means, or a magnetic means; and wherein the servo means and said hydraulic operation means are activated by manual manipulation or wherein said electric control means is activated by manual manipulation means, or wherein said magnetic means is activated by manual manipulation.  
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein said servo means comprises a hydraulic operation means including a servo reservoir and a fluid supply reservoir connected in a closed system and containing a predetermined amount of fluid; and wherein said fluid supply reservoir defines a chamber for said predetermined amount of fluid and the hydraulic operation means is adapted to change the size of said chamber and thereby control the servo reservoir; and wherein said fluid supply reservoir comprises first wall portion and second wall portions of the fluid supply reservoir, which are displaceable relative to each other to change the size of said chamber.  
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein said first and second wall portions of said fluid supply reservoir are designed to be displaceable relative to each other by manual manipulation for pushing, pulling or rotating any of the wall portions in one direction, or wherein said first and second wall portions of the fluid supply reservoir are designed to be displaceable relative to each other by magnetic means for pushing, pulling or rotating any of the wall portions in one direction; or wherein said first and second wall portions of the fluid supply reservoir are displaceable relative to each other by electrical control means for pushing, pulling or rotating any of the all portions in one direction; or wherein said first and second wall portions of said fluid supply reservoir are displaceable relate to each other by hydraulic operation means for pushing, pulling or rotating any of the wall portions in one direction.  
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the fluid supply reservoir operates the servo reservoir with fluid from the fluid supply reservoir in response to predetermined first displacement of the first wall portion of the fluid supply reservoir relative to the second wall portions of the fluid supply reservoir to increase the amount of fluid in the servo reservoir and to operate the servo reservoir in response to a predetermined second displacement of the first wall portion of the fluid supply reservoir relative to the second wall portion of the fluid supply reservoir to decrease the amount of fluid in the servo reservoir.  
     
     
         23 . A method of treating morbid obesity, comprising: 
 (a) surgically implanting in the abdomen of a patient with morbid obesity a food intake restriction device which forms a stoma opening in the stomach or esophagus, by forming an elongated restriction member into at least a substantially closed loop around the stomach or the esophagus of the patient, the loop defining a restriction opening; and then    (b) when necessary for the patient's health or desired progress, in a non-invasive procedure, hydraulically acting on the restriction member to change the size of the restriction opening.    
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 23  wherein the restriction member comprises a cavity which can be expanded and contracted by the supply of hydraulic fluid thereto; and wherein (a) is practiced in part by implanting in the patient a reservoir containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid and connecting the reservoir to the cavity and a hydraulic operation means for distributing fluid from the reservoir to the cavity; and wherein (b) is practiced by controlling the hydraulic operation means from a point outside the patient's body without physically penetrating the patient's body.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 23  wherein the restriction member is acted upon by an adjustment device which mechanically adjusts the loop; and wherein (a) is practiced in part by implanting in the patient the adjustment device, implanting a reservoir containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid and connecting the reservoir to the cavity, and implanting a hydraulic operation means for distributing fluid from the reservoir to the cavity, and wherein (b) is practiced by controlling the hydraulic operation means from a point outside the patient's body without physically penetrating the patient's body to control the adjustment device so that the size of the restriction opening is changed.  
     
     
         26 . A method as recited in  claim 23  wherein (a) is practiced by: (i) inflating the patient's abdomen with gas by penetration of the patient's skin, (ii) introducing at least two laparoscopic trocars into the abdomen to introduce the elongated restriction member and one or more medical instruments, and then (iii) forming the elongated restriction member into the at least substantially closed loop.