Transesophageal gastric reduction device, system and method

Abstract

A gastric reduction system and method provides for transesophageal formation of a gastric reduction pouch of the stomach. The system includes an expandable structure which may be placed in a stomach and expanded to occupy a fractional volume of the stomach. An evacuator is then fed through the expandable structure and utilized to deflate the stomach and draw the stomach to and around the expandable structure to form the gastric reduction pouch. A self-deploying fastener is then deployed to maintain the gastric reduction pouch.

1 - 26 . (canceled)  
     
     
         27 . A method comprising: 
 positioning an expandable structure in a stomach of a patient;    expanding the expandable structure to occupy a portion of the stomach; and    drawing the stomach around the expanded expandable structure to form a gastric reduction pouch.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the positioning step includes placing the expandable structure immediately distal to an esophageal orifice associated with the stomach.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the expandable structure comprises a balloon and wherein the expanding step includes inflating the balloon.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the deflating step includes evacuating the stomach.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the deflating step includes feeding an evacuator into the stomach and evacuating the stomach.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27  including the further step of maintaining the gastric reduction pouch.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the maintaining step includes inwardly folding stomach tissue to contact serosa tissue to serosa tissue to form a stomach.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the maintaining step further includes fastening the inwardly folded stomach tissue together.