Remotely adjustable gastric banding system

Abstract

A fluid reservoir for use in a remotely adjustable gastric banding system comprises a housing and a flexible reservoir pouch positioned within the housing. The flexible reservoir pouch is coupled to an inflatable portion of a gastric band via flexible tubing. A pump coupled to the flexible reservoir pouch facilitates filling and draining the inflatable portion of the gastric band. The pump may be located within or outside of the housing. A receiving coil may be coupled to the housing, and the receiving coil forms a loop around the housing. The receiving coil receives radio frequency signals to drive the pump. A circuit board may be disposed in the housing for driving the pump to move the fluid between the flexible reservoir pouch and the inflatable portion of the gastric band. A portion of the circuit board may be a flexible circuit board to allow the housing to flex.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid reservoir for connecting to a remotely adjustable gastric banding system for the treatment of obesity, the fluid reservoir comprising:
 a housing;   a flexible reservoir pouch positioned within the housing and coupled to an inflatable portion of a gastric band via tubing, the flexible reservoir pouch for storing a fluid for filling and draining the inflatable portion of the gastric band; and   a receiving coil coupled to the housing, wherein the receiving coil forms a loop around the housing, and wherein the receiving coil receives radio frequency signals from a remote transmitter to drive a pump in the remotely adjustable gastric banding system.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is at least one of flexible, semi-flexible, rigid, or semi-rigid. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , further comprising a coil channel for looping the receiving coil around the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 4 , wherein the coil channel extends along the sides of the housing, substantially parallel to a central axis of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the loop formed by the receiving coil defines a plane that is substantially parallel to a surface of the patient's skin. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 6 , wherein the housing is sutured to a muscle of a patient to facilitate maintaining the loop of the receiving coil substantially parallel to the surface of the patient's skin. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving coil is a first receiving coil forming a first loop around the housing, the fluid reservoir further comprising a second receiving coil forming a second loop around the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 8 , wherein the housing further comprises a second coil channel for receiving the second receiving coil. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 9 , wherein the first loop formed by the first receiving coil is substantially perpendicular to the second loop formed by the second receiving coil. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 10 , further comprising a center tap circuit for adding the radio frequency energy received through the first receiving coil and the second receiving coil when both the first receiving coil and the second receiving coil receive the radio frequency energy. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 11 , wherein the center tap circuit comprises a first rectifying diode coupled between the first receiving coil and a load so that current from the first receiving coil is restricted to one direction. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 12 , wherein the center tap circuit comprises a second rectifying diode coupled between the second receiving coil and the load. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump disposed within the housing to move fluid between the flexible reservoir pouch and the inflatable portion of the gastric band, wherein the pump receives energy from the radio frequency signals received through the receiving coil. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 14 , further comprising a circuit board for driving the pump. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the circuit board comprises a flexible circuit board. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 14 , wherein the pump is a piezoelectric pump comprising a piezo actuator. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 14 , wherein the pump is a piezoelectric pump comprising a plurality of piezo actuators. 
     
     
         19 . A fluid reservoir for a remotely adjustable gastric banding system, the reservoir comprising:
 a housing;   a flexible reservoir pouch disposed in the housing;   a pump disposed in the housing and coupled to the flexible reservoir pouch via a valve, wherein the pump moves a fluid in the flexible reservoir pouch between the flexible reservoir pouch and an inflatable portion of a gastric band; and   a circuit board disposed in the housing for driving the pump to move the fluid between the flexible reservoir pouch and the inflatable portion of the gastric band.   
     
     
         20 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 19 , further comprising a receiving coil disposed in the housing, wherein the receiving coil receives radio frequency energy for driving the pump. 
     
     
         21 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 19 , wherein a receiving coil located near a sternum of a patient receives radio frequency energy for driving the pump. 
     
     
         22 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 19 , further comprising a second pump and a third pump, each of the pump, the second pump, and the third pump comprising two piezoelectric actuators for moving the fluid between the flexible reservoir pouch and the inflatable portion of the gastric band. 
     
     
         23 . A remotely adjustable gastric banding system for filling and draining an inflatable portion of a gastric band, the system comprising:
 a housing defining a fluid reservoir;   a flexible reservoir pouch disposed in the housing;   a pump disposed in the housing and coupled to the flexible reservoir pouch via a valve, wherein the pump moves a fluid in the flexible reservoir pouch between the flexible reservoir pouch and the inflatable portion of the gastric band;   a circuit board disposed in the housing for driving the pump to move the fluid between the flexible reservoir pouch and the inflatable portion of the gastric band;   a coil channel disposed along a periphery of the housing; and   a receiving coil disposed in the coil channel of the housing, wherein the receiving coil forms a loop around the housing, and wherein the receiving coil receives radio frequency signals from a remote transmitter to drive the pump.