Artificial Sphincter and Intragastric Suspended Balloon

Abstract

A system of medical devices implantable in the human body using transabdominal gastroscopy surgery to repair failing sphincters and to prevent obesity. A stainless steel non-magnetic spring covered with silicon or other long-term tissue friendly plastic can be installed in place of a natural sphincter by tunneling through a non-functional natural sphincter and pulling the artificial sphincter into the tunnel to form a ring. The device can be tied on the end with suture to form a permanent structure. Without pressure, the device will be continuously closed; however, it will open under natural pressure on it just as a natural sphincter. A intragastric suspended balloon can be sutured into the stomach to cut appetite. The balloon can be roughly the shape of a pepper and take up room in the stomach without closing it off.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of repairing a non-functional natural sphincter comprising:
 using transabdominal gastroscopy, creating a tunnel within said natural sphincter;   pulling a device with a spring contained in polymer tubing into said tunnel and completely around said sphincter;   tying off non-absorbable suture thread attached to a first and last coil of said spring and to a first and last end of said tubing to form an approximate ring, wherein said device functions as an artificial sphincter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said natural sphincter is at the gastro-esophageal junction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said natural sphincter is the pyloric sphincter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said natural sphincter is the urinary sphincter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said natural sphincter is the anus. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said polymer tubing is silicon rubber tubing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said spring is stainless steel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said spring is medical grade metal or plastic. 
     
     
         9 . An artificial sphincter implantable in a human body comprising:
 a spring contained in a tight-fitting polymer tube, said tube having a continuous, approximately cylindrical wall of approximately fixed diameter, said spring contained in said tube adapted to be placed into a tunnel formed in a non-functioning natural sphincter, said spring, when implanted, forming a ring having a size equivalent to said natural sphincter; the sphincter being totally contained in the body and not exiting the body, the sphincter functioning independently and opening due to natural pressure forcing it open.   
     
     
         10 . The artificial sphincter of  claim 9  wherein said spring is stainless steel. 
     
     
         11 . The artificial sphincter of  claim 9  wherein said polymer tube is silicon rubber. 
     
     
         12 . The artificial sphincter of  claim 10  wherein said polymer tube is silicon rubber. 
     
     
         13 . The artificial sphincter of  claim 9  wherein said non-functioning natural sphincter is one of: gastro-esophageal, pyloric, urinary or anal. 
     
     
         14 . An artificial sphincter implantable in a human body comprising:
 a stainless steel spring contained in a continuous tight-fitting silicon rubber tube adapted to be placed into a tunnel formed in a non-functioning natural human sphincter, said spring, when implanted, forming a ring having a size equivalent to said natural sphincter;   the sphincter being totally contained in the body and not exiting the body, the sphincter functioning independently and opening due to natural pressure forcing it open.