Other

Reflux Corporation

Thomas V Taylor

Frank G Weeden

A food intake-limiting device for peroral implantation in the stomach adjacent a gastroesophageal junction is disclosed. The device can have an inner basket nested in an outer basket, a proximal entry opening and a distal exit opening to limit a rate of efflux, mesh openings in the outer basket for protrusion of stomach lining into the outer basket, and a plurality of spikes mounted tangentially on the inner basket for transfixing the protruding stomach lining. The inner basket is rotatable with respect to the outer basket to effect the transfixation. Also disclosed are an implantation/extraction tool, and methods for implanting and removing the device in a patient in need of obesity treatment.

Obesity treatment

Disclosed are esophageal anti-reflux valve prostheses, and tools and procedures for peroral implantation and extraction of the prostheses. The prostheses disclosed have a semipermeable membrane to allow retrograde passage of gas, magnets disposed at a distal end of the sleeve to facilitate closure, and an outwardly bendable array of spikes that are longitudinally aligned for peroral insertion and lockable into a radially outwardly deployed configuration to keep the prosthesis from dislocating implantation. The implantation tool has inner and outer concentric tubes, the inner tube releasably threadably connected to the prosthesis, the outer tube reverse threaded with the inner tube to advance a distal headpiece to engage, deploy and lock the spikes into the deployed configuration. A vacuum assist can be used to help impact the lumen wall on the spikes. The extraction tool is similar to the implantation tool with an inner tube for threadably engaging the prosthesis, an outer tube with a distal crown with a plurality of shoes to unseat and unlock the spikes, and an overtube shield to receive the spikes and facilitate extraction of the prosthesis.

Perorally insertable/removable anti-reflux valve

Disclosed is an instrument, valve prosthesis and procedure for the minimally invasive implantation of a sutureless anti-reflux valve in a patient for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Self-anchoring or stapleable one-way anti-reflux valve prostheses are provided, which may be implanted proximate a patient's gastroesophageal junction without open or laparoscopic surgery. An instrument for the peroral insertion, positioning and fixing of the valve prosthesis to the tissue of the esophagus is described for the implantation of either the self-anchoring or stapleable prosthesis.

Perorally insertable gastroesophageal anti-reflux valve prosthesis and tool for implantation thereof

Disclosed are an instrument, valve prosthesis and procedure for the minimally invasive implantation of a sutureless anti-reflux valve in a patient for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. A prosthesis is provided that comprises a cylindrical housing, a mounting ring and a one-way anti-reflux valve depending from the mounting ring. The cylindrical housing is constructed of a memory material that can be fixed in the gastroesophageal junction. The mounting ring and the anti-reflux valve are fixed within the housing.

Sutureless gastroesophageal anti-reflux valve prosthesis and tool for peroral implantation thereof

A biopsy forceps for obtaining multiple tissue specimens of an organ through a biopsy channel of an endoscope is disclosed. The biopsy forceps comprises a tubular body, a central wire, a set of jaws, and an activating handle. The central wire is disposed in the tubular body with the distal end of the central wire extending therethrough. A set of jaws is cooperatively mounted to the distal end of the central wire such that as the central wire is displaced by the activating handle, the distal end of the central wire is drawn toward the tubular body, which forces the jaws to close. A space is provided between the wire and the housing for retaining multiple tissue specimens.

Multiple-specimen, endoscopic biopsy forceps

Disclosed is an instrument, valve prosthesis and procedure for the minimally invasive implantation of an anti-reflux valve in a patient for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Self-anchoring or stapleable one-way anti-reflux valve prostheses are provided, which may be implanted proximate a patient's gastroesophageal junction without open or laparoscopic surgery. An instrument for the peroral insertion, positioning and fixing of the valve prosthesis to the tissue of the esophagus is described for the implantation of either the self-anchoring or stapleable prosthesis.

A multiple biopsy forceps and method for obtaining a biopsy are disclosed. The forceps comprises an outer tube which can be passed through a biopsy channel of an endoscope and an inner tube concentric with the outer tube and slideably received therein. The tubes slide with respect to each other to operate a set of jaws which can be positioned to grasp and remove a tissue sample for biopsy. The grasped tissue sample is then transfixed by a needle at the end of a wire which is slideably mounted in the inner tube and positioned between the jaws. The needle is advanced and retracted with the opening and closing of the jaws. After one tissue sample is removed, the forceps is repositioned at a second tissue area from whence another tissue sample can be taken in similar fashion. The forceps is not withdrawn from the endoscope until a desired number of tissue samples for multiple biopsies have been taken, thus eliminating the need for the repeated withdrawal and feed of the forceps down the biopsy channel during a single endoscopic examination.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Thomas V Taylor