Obesity Systems Placed Between the Abdominal Wall and Stomach

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for implantation into the walls of an organ such as the stomach. Deformable or inflatable anchors with a connector between are used to pull the walls of the organ together, or to implant devices in the wall of the organ. Also disclosed are surgical instruments useful in practicing the disclosed methods.

1 . A system for treatment of obesity, said system comprising:
 An expandable main body member configured to be positioned adjacent a portion of a stomach of a patient, within the abdominal cavity of the patient;   An anchor on the expandable main body member configured to fix a portion of said main body member to and in contact with a portion of at least one internal body structure, without piercing through a wall of the stomach;   A removable, elongate delivery instrument having a handle to guide the expandable main body member to a target location then be removed;   An adjustment member having a port that is accessible by an instrument to effect expansion or contraction of said main body, said adjustment member configured to be anchored to an abdominal wall or subcutaneously external to the abdominal wall; and   A conduit connecting said main body with said adjustment member, wherein said expandable main body member is configured to be implanted without piercing through the stomach wall.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said expandable main body member comprises an inflatable body member. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said expandable member has only one expandable chamber. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claims 1  wherein said expandable member comprises at least two independent expandable chambers. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said anchor is configure to fix a portion of said main body member to an internal body structure other than the stomach or abdominal wall. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said expandable body member, when inflated to an expanded configuration, is non-spherical. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said inflatable body member, when inflated to an expanded configuration, comprises a convex surface adapted to spread expansion forces over a surface on the internal body structure to which said main body member is anchored; and a concave surface configured to abut a surface of the stomach. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said concave surface is configured and dimensioned to receive the stomach and envelope superior and inferior end portions of the stomach. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a notch formed in an end region of said inflatable body member, said notch configured for receiving the esophagus where it joins the stomach. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said expandable body member is kidney-shaped and generally follows a contour of the shape of the stomach, wherein, when compressed against the stomach, said expandable body member is configured to reduce the interior space within the stomach to a narrow channel running the length of the stomach. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said inflatable body member has a length dimension and a width dimension, said length dimension being greater than said width dimension when said inflatable body member is in a deflated state. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein first and second end portions of said inflatable body member, along said length dimension, expand less than expansion of a portion between said first and second end portions when said inflatable body member is inflated. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said first and second ends bend inward toward said portion between said first and second end portions. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said expandable main body member comprises an inflatable body member with end portions extending therefrom, said end portions configured to engage the stomach at locations peripherally from where said inflatable body member engages the stomach. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a side of said inflatable member adapted to abut the stomach has an undulating surface, and wherein an opposite surface of said inflatable member is non-undulating, when inflated. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein expansion characteristics of said inflatable member vary over different portions thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said inflatable member comprises two different materials at two different portions thereof, wherein a first of said materials is more compliant than a second of said materials. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 2 , comprising a substantially non-expanding backing member on one surface of said inflatable body member, wherein, upon inflation of said inflatable body member, said inflatable body member expands predominantly in a direction away from said backing member. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said inflatable body member comprises two different materials at two different portions thereof, wherein a first of said materials is more compliant than a second of said materials, and wherein a surface of said inflatable body member adapted to expand toward the stomach when said inflatable body member is positioned toward the stomach comprises said second material, wherein, upon inflation of said inflatable body member, said inflatable body member expands predominantly in a direction away from said surface comprising said second material. 
   
   
       20 . A system for treatment of obesity, said system comprising:
 An expandable main body member configured to be positioned adjacent a portion of a stomach of a patient, within the abdominal cavity of the patient;   An anchor on the expandable main body member configured to fix a portion of said main body member to and in contact with a portion of at least one internal body structure, without piercing through a wall of the stomach;   A removable, elongate delivery instrument having a handle to guide the expandable main body member to a target location then be removed;   An adjustment member having a port that is accessible by an instrument to effect expansion or contraction of said main body, said adjustment member located in the expandable main body member; and   A removable conduit having an expandable tip wherein upon implantation of the expandable main body the removable conduit is attached to the adjustment member add after expansion of the expandable main body the expandable tip is retracted and the removable conduit is removed.