U.S. patent application number 13/624948 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-27 for artificial sphincter and intragastric suspended balloon.
The applicant listed for this patent is Zarija Djurovic. Invention is credited to Zarija Djurovic.
Application Number | 20140088342 13/624948 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50339509 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140088342 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Djurovic; Zarija |
March 27, 2014 |
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.
Inventors: |
Djurovic; Zarija; (Chicago,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Djurovic; Zarija |
Chicago |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50339509 |
Appl. No.: |
13/624948 |
Filed: |
September 23, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/30 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F 2/0036 20130101;
A61F 5/004 20130101; A61F 5/0089 20130101; A61F 5/0079 20130101;
A61F 5/003 20130101; A61F 5/0036 20130101; A61F 2220/0008 20130101;
A61F 2/0022 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
600/30 |
International
Class: |
A61F 2/00 20060101
A61F002/00 |
Claims
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 6 wherein said spring is medical grade metal
or plastic.
9. An implantable artificial sphincter 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; a suture thread pre-tied to a first and
last coil of said spring and to a first and last end of said
polymer tube.
10. (canceled)
11. The artificial sphincter of claim 9 wherein said spring is
stainless steel.
12. The artificial sphincter of claim 9 wherein said polymer tube
is silicon rubber.
13. The artificial sphincter of claim 11 wherein said polymer tube
is silicon rubber.
14. The artificial sphincter of claim 9 wherein said
non-functioning natural sphincter is one of. gastro-esophageal,
pyloric, urinary or anal.
15. An implantable artificial sphincter 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
gastro-esophageal sphincter, said spring, when implanted, forming a
ring having a size equivalent to said natural sphincter.
16. The implantable artificial sphincter of claim 15 further
comprising suture pre-attached to a first and last coil of said
spring and to a first and last end of said tube.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to medical devices for the
human stomach and other passages and more particularly an
artificial sphincter and a suspended balloon.
[0003] 2. Description of the Problem
[0004] A sphincter is a anatomical structure that typically
partially or totally closes off a passage in the human body but
opens to allow passages of substances. In particular, there is a
sphincter where the esophagus enters the stomach, a sphincter where
the lower end of the stomach enters the small intestine, a
sphincter to the lower end of the colon (anus) and a sphincter
below the urinary bladder.
[0005] Medical conditions can cause any of these sphincters to
partially or totally fail. When the sphincter between the esophagus
and stomach fails, highly acid liquid and material can reflux back
up into the esophagus causing pain and possible damage to the
esophagus. When the pyloric sphincter between the stomach and the
small intestine fails, food material enters the small intestine
before it is in the proper state of digestion. When the anus fails
or partially fails, the patient needs to use bags and other means
to control unwanted excretion, and failure or weakness of the
urinary sphincter causes incontinence.
[0006] It would be advantageous to have an artificial sphincter
that could be implanted in the proper location by a general surgeon
using transabdominal surgery or gastroscopy assisted by
conventional gastroscopy or surgery.
[0007] Obesity is a persistent problem in the U.S. and other
developed countries. In some cases, it can be controlled by
dieting; however, in other cases more invasive medical procedures
are needed.
[0008] For cases where obesity is caused mainly by overeating, It
would be advantageous to have a medical device that could be
implanted in the human stomach that would take up space and cause
the patient to feel full and stop eating sooner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention relates to a system of medical devices
that can be implanted in the human body using transabdominal
endoscopic surgery to repair failing sphincters and to prevent
obesity.
[0010] A stainless steel or other medical grade metal or polymer
non-magnetic spring covered with silicon or other long-term tissue
friendly plastic tubing 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.
[0011] 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.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0012] Attention is now directed to several drawings that
illustrate features of the present invention:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a prior art (educational) schematic drawing of a
human stomach.
[0014] FIG. 2A shows the artificial sphincter of the present
invention installed in the esophagus/FIG. 2B shows a close-up view
of the installation.
[0015] FIG. 3 shows the artificial sphincter laid out flat.
[0016] FIG. 4 shows the artificial sphincter in its installed
position ready to be tied.
[0017] FIG. 5 shows the intragastric suspended balloon in its
installed position.
[0018] Several drawings and illustrations have been presented to
aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the
present invention is not limited to what is shown in the
figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] The present invention relates to a system of devices that
can be installed using endoscopic surgery. In particular, an
artificial sphincter can be installed into any natural sphincter,
and an intragastric suspended balloon can be installed in the
stomach.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows the anatomy of the human stomach. The esophagus
feeds through a natural sphincter into the cardal orifice of the
stomach. At the lower end of the stomach contents leave the stomach
for the small intestine through the pyloric sphincter.
[0021] FIG. 2A shows installation of the ring-shaped artificial
sphincter 3 of the present invention at the bottom of the esophagus
2 in a tunnel made by the surgeon. The wall of the stomach 1 is
shown for reference. FIG. 2B shows a close-up of the installation.
It can be seen that sits in the tunneled-out natural sphincter and
will function by opening and closing directly as pressure from food
descending the esophagus. Without pressure, the device will be
continuously closed and prevent gastroesphagal reflux of stomach
acid into the esophagus.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows the artificial sphincter 3 laid out flat before
installation. A coiled spring 6 runs the length of the device
through a tube 5. A string 4 also can attached to each end of the
spring 6 and the tube 5 and can be pre-threaded through into device
(or the surgeon can thread the device after implantation). The
device is covered with silicon tubing 5 or other long term
tissue-friendly polymer. The tubing 5 should be fairly
tight-fitting and match the diameter of the spring 6.
[0023] The spring 6 can be made of non-magnetic stainless steel or
other medical grade metal or plastic that will expand from adequate
pressure from above or from below. This allows food to enter the
stomach from the esophagus during normal eating and for food to
exit the stomach during vomiting. The spring 6 is placed in the
plastic tubing 5.
[0024] After the artificial sphincter is placed into the tunnel
made by the surgeon, non-absorbable thread 4 should be tied form a
tight ring. Embodiments of the invention can also be supplied with
the thread pre-installed.
[0025] The implantation procedure can be performed by a general
surgeon using transabdominal gastroscopy with the assistance of
conventional gastroscopy if needed. The surgeon first performs
tunneling through the non-functional natural sphincter and then
pulls the artificial sphincter into the tunnel. The device can be
threaded (or supplied with threads), pulled into a ring, and tied
off.
[0026] FIG. 4 shows the device of FIG. 3 in a ring
configuration.
[0027] FIG. 5 shows an intragastric suspended balloon for obesity
treatment. It is known in the art to place intragastric balloons in
the stomach. They have a problem however. Since they typically
float freely, they can sometimes produce symptoms of gastric outlet
obstruction. The balloon of the present system is shaped and fixed
in place in a particular way. The balloon should occupy about 2/3
of the stomach space more or less, and be constructed in the shape
of the stomach with the proximal end 20 round and bigger than the
distal end gradually tapering down with the distal end 23 into the
atrium. The final size of the installed balloon can be controlled
by the amount of fluid-normal saline the surgeon injects to inflate
the balloon. The proximal end should have a minimum of four non
reabsorbed sutures 22 placed around the larger diameter of the
proximal end 20. This suture should be attached to the cardia
distally from the gasto-esophageal junction with a free length of
1.5 to 2.0 inches. These ties keep the balloon in an adequate
position and will not produce gastric obstructive symptoms. With
this embodiment of the invention, the patient feels full much
sooner than otherwise.
[0028] Installation of the balloon should be performed by a general
surgeon with transabdominal gastroscopy with the assistance of
conventional gastroscopy if necessary. The balloon has an inflation
port 21 that can be inflated through the esophagus or through
transabdominal gastroscopy after suturing. The balloon is typically
inflated with saline liquid. Any inflating technique that causes
the balloon to maintain its shape is within the scope of the
present invention.
[0029] Evectional removal can be performed by deflating the
balloon, cutting the sutures and pulling the balloon out via the
esophagus.
[0030] Several descriptions and illustrations have been presented
to aid in understanding the present invention. One with skill in
the art will realize that numerous changes, variations and
additions may be made without departing from the spirit of the
invention. Each of these changes and variations is within the scope
of the present invention.
* * * * *