Intragastric balloon retrieval mechanisms

Abstract

A mechanism for removing a fluid-filled object from a patient. The apparatus includes a deflation tube with a puncture member at one end of the tube for piercing a hole in the object wall. The apparatus includes a retrieval mechanism slidable within the deflation tube lumen. The retrieval mechanism includes an expansion element that is expandable when positioned within the object from a first configuration with a dimension less than that of the deflation tube lumen to a second or deployed configuration with a dimension that is greater than an outer dimension of the puncture member. The expansion element contacts an inner surface of the inflatable object as the deflation tube and retrieval mechanism are withdrawn from the body cavity. The expansion element may be a T-bar, a foldable anchor, an inflatable member, or another expandable form.

1 . An apparatus for removing an inflatable object from a body cavity of a patient, comprising:
 a deflation tube having a puncture member at one end for forming a hole in a wall of the inflatable object and a lumen running there through; and   a retrieval mechanism slidably movable within the lumen, wherein the retrieval mechanism comprises an expansion element expandable from a first configuration in which the expansion element fits within the lumen to a second configuration in which the dimensions of the expansion element are greater than the lumen.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion element in the second configuration comprises at least one contact surface transverse to a longitudinal axis of the lumen, whereby the contact surface contacts an inner surface of the inflatable object proximate to the hole when the deflation tube and retrieval mechanism are withdrawn from the body cavity. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval mechanism further comprises a flexible deployment member and wherein the expansion element comprises an elongate body attached to an end of the deployment member, wherein the body has a width less than an inner diameter of the deflation tube lumen and a length equal to the dimension of the second configuration of the expansion element. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval mechanism further comprises a tube with an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of the deflation tube lumen and with a lumen and wherein the expansion element is attached proximal to one end of the tube and in fluid communication with the lumen, the expansion element comprising an inflatable shell adapted for inflation to have an outer diameter of at least about the dimension of the second configuration of the expansion element, whereby outer surfaces of the inflatable shell contact inner surfaces of the inflatable object when the retrieval mechanism is removed from the body cavity. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval mechanism further comprises a deployment member and wherein the expansion element comprises a connector attached to the deployment member and one or more legs attached at a first end to the connector such that each of the legs are foldable about the first end toward the deployment member in the first configuration and unfold away from the deployment member about the first end to position a second end spaced apart from the deployment member in the second configuration, the dimension of the second configuration being measured between two of the second ends of the legs. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion element comprises a spring having the second configuration when unrestricted by external compressive force. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval mechanism comprises a flexible deployment member and wherein the expansion element comprises a substantially rigid, elongate body fixed to one end of the deployment member and two tabs fixed to opposite ends of the elongate body, the elongate body having a length greater than the outer dimension of the puncture member and the tabs having a maximum outer dimension less than an inner diameter of the lumens of the deflation tube and the puncture member. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval mechanism further comprises a tube with an outer dimension less than an inner diameter of the deflation tube lumen, the expansion element being provided at an end of the retrieval mechanism tube and comprising an elongate, tubular body with a plurality of slits cut parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body and extending about the circumference of the tubular body and further comprising a wire within the retrieval mechanism tube and attached to the tubular body at a point distal to the retrieval mechanism tube, whereby tension applied to the wire causes the tubular body to expand from the first configuration to the second configuration by drawing the attachment point of the tubular body toward the retrieval mechanism tube. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval mechanism further comprises a flexible deployment member and the expansion element comprises a connector attached to the deployment member and a wall having a first end attached to the connector and a second end proximate to the deployment member, wherein the connector has a maximum dimension less than the inner diameter of the puncture member lumen and wherein the wall is formed to be rolled about the deployment member into the first configuration, the first configuration being substantially cylindrical, and to expand outward into the second configuration when unrestricted, the second configuration being frustaconical and the dimension of the second configuration being measured as the width of the wall at the second end. 
   
   
       10 . A method for evacuating and removing a fluid-filled object positioned in a body cavity of a patient, comprising:
 positioning an aspirator device in the body cavity;   piercing a wall of the fluid-filled object with the aspirator device, wherein the aspirator device comprises a tube with a lumen;   sliding a retrieval mechanism in the lumen of the aspirator tube, wherein the retrieval mechanism comprises an expansion element having a deployed configuration greater in size than an outer diameter of the aspirator tube and wherein the sliding comprises extending the expansion element at least partially out of the lumen and into the pierced object;   expanding the expansion element to the deployed configuration; and   withdrawing the retrieval mechanism and the aspirator device from the body cavity, wherein during the withdrawing the expansion element contacts an inner surface of the object wall forcing the object to be removed from the body cavity with the retrieval mechanism.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the retrieval mechanism comprises a flexible deployment member attached to the expansion element, and the method further comprises prior to the withdrawing, applying tension on the deployment member to force the expansion member to abut a tip fixed on the aspirator tube. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the applying of the tension results in the expanding of the expansion element to the deployed configuration. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the applying of the tension causes the expansion element to contact the inner surface of the object wall and to sandwich a portion of the wall between the expansion element and the tip of the aspirator tube. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the expansion element is selected from the group consisting of a T-bar, an object inflated in the expanding of the expansion element, a folding anchor device that unfolds to the deployed configuration, a spring element that returns to an at-rest position during the expanding of the expansion element, an elongate body with tabs attached at opposite ends, a tubular body with slits cut in a spaced-apart manner, parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body and with a tensioning wire attached to an end of tubular body, and a funnel collapsible into a cylinder and expandable into a frustaconical shape in the deployed configuration. 
   
   
       15 . An intragastric balloon removal system, comprising:
 means for deflating a fluid-filled object positioned in a body cavity of a patient to pierce a wall of an intragastric balloon, wherein the deflating means comprises a tube with a lumen extending through the balloon wall; and   a retrieval mechanism comprising a flexible deployment member and an expansion element attached to an end of the deployment member, wherein the retrieval mechanism is slidably movable in the lumen of the deflating means and the expansion element is adapted to be in a first configuration facilitating movement of the retrieval mechanism in the lumen and in a second configuration larger than the lumen when the expansion element is within a cavity defined by the balloon wall, whereby the expansion element contacts an inner surface of the object wall when the deflating means and retrieval mechanism are withdrawn from the body cavity.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the expansion element comprises an elongate body attached to an end of the deployment member, wherein the body has a width less than an inner diameter of the lumen and a length larger than an outer diameter of the deflating means tube. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the retrieval mechanism further comprises a tube with an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of the deflating means tube lumen and with a lumen and wherein the expansion element is attached proximal to one end of the retrieval mechanism tube and in fluid communication with the lumen, the expansion element comprising an elastic shell adapted for inflation to an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the deflating means tube, whereby outer surfaces of the inflatable shell contact inner surfaces of the balloon wall when the retrieval mechanism is removed from the body cavity. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the expansion element comprises a connector attached to the deployment member and one or more legs attached at a first end to the connector such that each of the legs are foldable about the first end toward the deployment member for positioning within the deflation means tube lumen and pivotable away from the deployment member about the first end to position a second end of each of the legs spaced apart from the deployment member in the deployed configuration. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the expansion element comprises a spring having the deployed configuration when unrestricted by external compressive force. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the expansion element comprises a substantially rigid, elongate body fixed to one end of the deployment member and two tabs fixed to opposite ends of the elongate body, the elongate body having a length greater than an outer dimension of the deflating means tube and the tabs having a maximum outer dimension less than an inner diameter of the lumen of the deflating means tube. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein deployment member comprises a tube with an outer dimension less than an inner diameter of the deflating means tube lumen, the expansion element being provided at an end of the retrieval mechanism tube and comprising an elongate, tubular body with a plurality of slits cut parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body and extending about the circumference of the tubular body and further comprising a wire within the retrieval mechanism tube and attached to the tubular body at a point distal to the retrieval mechanism tube, whereby tension applied to the wire causes the tubular body to expand from the first configuration to the second configuration by drawing the attachment point of the tubular body toward the retrieval mechanism tube. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the expansion element comprises a connector attached to the deployment member and a wall having a first end attached to the connector and a second end proximate to the deployment member, wherein the connector has a maximum dimension less than the inner diameter of the deflating means tube lumen and wherein the wall is collapsible about the deployment member to be received within the deflating means tube lumen and expandable outward into the deployed configuration when unrestricted, the second configuration being frustaconical with a base at the second end of the wall. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the expansion element comprises outer surfaces for contacting the inner surface of the object wall, the outer surfaces being modified to increase friction between the outer surfaces and the inner surface. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the modification is performed by blasting, etching, or adding coatings. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the inner surface of the object wall is modified to increase the friction between the outer surfaces of the expansion element and the inner surface.