Devices and methods for treatment of obesity

Abstract

Methods, devices, tools and assemblies for treating a patient to effect weight loss. One method embodiment involves passing a device including an expandable member in a collapsed configuration and a buoyancy member through an opening in the skin of a patient and into the abdominal cavity of the patient, and anchoring at least a portion of the expandable member, relative to at least one structure in the abdominal cavity. Devices including at least one expandable member and at least one buoyancy member are provided.

1 - 42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . A method of treating a patient, said method comprising the steps of: 
 passing a guide rail into the abdominal cavity of the patient;    passing an anchoring frame, guided by the guide rail, into the abdominal cavity;    anchoring the anchoring frame to at least one structure in the abdominal cavity;    passing a device, guided by the guide rail, into the abdominal cavity; and    attaching the device to the anchoring frame.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the guide rail is selected from one of: at least one guidewire; at least one flexible wire facilitating viewing out of a distal end thereof from a proximal end thereof; at least one rod; or a flexible steerable catheter.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the anchoring frame is anchored to an internal surface of the abdominal wall.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the anchoring frame is mounted on an anchoring frame delivery tool, and said passing an anchoring frame comprises passing the anchoring frame delivery tool over the guidewire.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the anchoring frame is separated from the anchoring frame delivery tool after said anchoring the anchoring frame, said method further comprising removing the anchoring frame delivery tool out of the patient and off of the guide rail.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the device is preloaded to a device deployment tool, and said passing a device comprises passing the device deployment tool over the guidewire.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the device deployment tool is passed over the guidewire until the device automatically locks to the anchoring frame.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 43 , performed without insufflation of the abdominal cavity.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising removing the guidewire from the patient.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the device is configured to perform at least one of: prevention of expansion of the stomach of the patient into a spaced occupied by the device in the abdominal cavity; and compression of a portion of the stomach.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the device includes an expandable member, the expandable member is in a compressed configuration during said passing of the device, and the method further comprises expanding the expandable member in a space in the abdominal cavity to perform at least one of: prevention of expansion of the stomach of the patient into the space; and 
 compression of a portion of the stomach.    
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the device further comprises a buoyancy member to increase an overall buoyancy of the device.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein a conduit, in fluid communication with the expandable member extends out of the patient after said attaching the device to the anchoring frame, and the expandable member is expanded by inputting fluid through the conduit.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the fluid is liquid.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein a conduit, in fluid communication with the buoyancy member extends out of the patient after said attaching the device to the anchoring frame, and the buoyancy member is expanded by inputting fluid through the conduit.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the fluid is gas.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising connecting a proximal end of the conduit to an access member.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising anchoring the access member to the patient.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the access member is anchored subcutaneously, to an outer surface of the abdominal wall.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said anchoring comprises driving anchoring members through the anchoring frame to drive the anchoring members through a contact surface of the anchoring frame, while the contact surface contacts the at least one structure.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the anchoring members are further driven through the skin and out of the patient.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the anchoring members are driven via needles attached to the anchoring members.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the anchoring members are driven via needles attached to the anchoring members.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising detaching the needles from the anchoring members, applying tension to the anchoring members to draw the anchoring frame against the at least one structure, and fixing the anchoring members externally of the abdominal cavity to maintain tension on the tensioning members.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the at least one structure comprises the abdominal wall, and the anchoring members are fixed subcutaneously, external of the abdominal wall.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the anchoring members comprise sutures.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the anchoring members comprise ribbons.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising loading the anchoring frame in a distal end portion of an anchoring frame deployment tool, wherein said passing the anchoring frame is performed by passing the distal end portion of the anchoring frame deployment tool over the guide rail, through the opening and into the abdominal cavity.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 70 , further comprising visualizing the at least one structure via an endoscope provided in the anchoring frame deployment tool, prior to said anchoring the anchoring frame.  
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 70 , further comprising rotating the distal end portion of the anchoring frame deployment tool, relative to the remainder of the anchoring frame deployment tool, to position the distal end portion up against the at least one structure, and then performing said anchoring of the anchoring frame.  
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 67 , further comprising installing speed nuts on the anchoring members to perform said fixing.  
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the anchoring members comprise ribbons having barbs and said fixing is performed by barbs of the ribbons piercing into adjacent tissue.  
   
   
       75 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising expanding the anchoring frame, prior to said anchoring the anchoring frame, to provide a wider anchoring frame to fix the device to.  
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the device and anchoring frame are configured to allow a range of relative attachment positions, said method further comprising selecting a location of the device relative to the frame from the range of allowable relative attachment positions, and wherein said attaching comprises fixing the device to the attachment frame at the selected location.  
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 76 , further comprising unfixing the device relative to the attachment frame, repositioning the device in a different location relative to the attachment frame, and re-fixing the device to the attachment frame at the different location.  
   
   
       78 - 171 . (canceled)