Remotely adjustable gastric banding device

Abstract

A remotely controllable gastric banding device ( 10 ) for placement around the stomach of a patient for the treatment of obesity. The device ( 10 ) comprises a gastric band ( 10 ) having an inflatable chamber ( 16 ) for adjusting the inner circumference of the band ( 10 ), a pressurized reservoir ( 20 ) with a valve ( 31 ) for providing fluid to inflate the inflation chamber ( 16 ), a valve ( 32 ) for releasing fluid from the inflatable chamber ( 16 ), and a controller ( 41 ) for controlling the valves ( 31, 32 ). The controller ( 41 ) is remotely controllable from outside the patient.

1 . A passively pressurized inflatable gastric banding apparatus for treatment of obesity in a patient, comprising:
 a gastric band suitable for laparoscopic placement around the stomach of the patient to create a stoma opening, the gastric band having an inflatable chamber defining an inner circumference of the band, the pressure within the inflatable chamber being denoted P 2 ;   a pressurized fluid reservoir connected to provide fluid to inflate the inflation chamber, the pressurized fluid reservoir having a pressure P 1 ;   an inlet valve between the pressurized fluid reservoir and the inflatable chamber;   an outlet that is not the pressurized fluid reservoir having a pressure P 3 ;   an outlet valve between the inflatable chamber and the outlet; and   a controller for actuating the inlet valve and passively increasing the fluid volume in the inflatable chamber when P 1 >P 2 , or actuating the outlet valve and passively decreasing the fluid volume in the inflatable chamber when P 2 >P 3 , thereby adjusting the inner circumference of the band.   
   
   
       2 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a receiver and is remotely controllable from outside of the patient, and further comprising a remote control for remotely transmitting control signals to the controller. 
   
   
       3 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the receiver is an RF receiver and the controller actuates the inlet and outlet valves in response to the received RF signals. 
   
   
       4 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source for providing power to the controller, the first valve, and the second valve. 
   
   
       5 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of:
 an induction coil,   a battery,   a capacitor, and   a piezo-electrically charged capacitor.   
   
   
       6 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is adapted to be in fluid communication with the peritoneal cavity of the patient. 
   
   
       7 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is a waste reservoir. 
   
   
       8 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the waste reservoir is negatively pressurized. 
   
   
       9 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable chamber is substantially coextensive with an inner stomach-facing surface of the gastric band to form a circular adjustable stoma opening. 
   
   
       10 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a fill tube connected to the inflatable chamber and a fill port on the end of the fill tube suitable for receiving transdermal injections of fluid, wherein the pressurized fluid reservoir is connected to the fill tube. 
   
   
       11 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pressurized fluid reservoir is located on the gastric band. 
   
   
       12 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a measuring device for measuring fluid flow through the inlet valve. 
   
   
       13 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 12 , further including a measuring device for measuring fluid flow through the outlet valve. 
   
   
       14 . A passively pressurized inflatable gastric banding apparatus for treatment of obesity in a patient, comprising:
 a laparoscopically implantable gastric band having an inflatable member for adjusting an inner circumference of the band, the pressure within the inflatable member being denoted P 2 ;   a pressurized fluid reservoir connected to provide fluid to inflate the inflation member, the pressurized fluid reservoir having a pressure P 1 ;   an inlet valve between the pressurized fluid reservoir and the inflatable member;   a controller remotely controllable from outside of the patient for actuating the inlet valve and passively increasing the fluid volume in the inflatable member when P 1 >P 2 , thereby reducing the inner circumference of the band.   
   
   
       15 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an outlet that is not the pressurized fluid reservoir having a pressure P 3 ;   an outlet valve between the inflatable member and the outlet; and   wherein the controller actuates the outlet valve and passively decreases the fluid volume in the inflatable member when P 2 >P 3 , thereby enlarging the inner circumference of the band.   
   
   
       16 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the outlet is adapted to be in fluid communication with the peritoneal cavity of the patient. 
   
   
       17 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the outlet is a waste reservoir. 
   
   
       18 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 14 , further including a fill tube connected to the inflatable member and a fill port on the end of the fill tube suitable for receiving transdermal injections of fluid, wherein the pressurized fluid reservoir is connected to the fill tube. 
   
   
       19 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pressurized fluid reservoir is located on the gastric band. 
   
   
       20 . The gastric banding apparatus of  claim 14 , further including a measuring device for measuring fluid flow through the inlet valve.