Remotely Adjustable Gastric Banding System

Abstract

An implantable device comprises a reservoir that contains a fluid for filling an inflatable portion of a gastric band. A device is coupled to the reservoir and includes stored potential energy having a first state and a second state. The first state represents a higher level of potential energy and the second state represents a lower level of potential energy. The implantable device further comprises a filling valve coupled between the reservoir and the gastric band, and the filling valve is configured to be opened in response to a first telemetric signal. The stored potential energy decreases from the first state to the second state when the filling valve is open, and a filling amount of the fluid moves from the reservoir to the gastric band when the stored potential energy decreases from the first state to the second state.

1 . An implantable device that uses potential energy to facilitate the movement of fluid to an inflatable portion of a gastric band, the implantable device comprising:
 a filling reservoir for holding the fluid;   a first device comprising a peristaltic pump, the first device operatively coupled to the filling reservoir, wherein the first device comprises stored potential energy that facilitates moving an amount of the fluid to the inflatable portion of the gastric band;   a filling valve coupled between the filling reservoir and the gastric band, the filling valve being open or closed based on a first telemetric signal received from a remote transmitter, and when the filling valve is open, a portion of the stored potential energy is released causing the amount of the fluid to move from the filling reservoir into the inflatable portion of the gastric band, and when the filling valve is closed, a remaining amount of the stored potential energy remains stored in the first device;   a draining reservoir; and   a draining valve coupled between the draining reservoir and the gastric band, the draining valve being open or closed based on a second telemetric signal received from the remote transmitter, and when the draining valve is open, a portion of the fluid in the inflatable portion of the gastric band moves into the draining reservoir.   
     
     
         2 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The implantable device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filling chamber comprising the filling reservoir and a filling pressure section, wherein a filling piston separates the filling reservoir and the filling pressure section;   a draining chamber comprising the draining reservoir and a draining pressure section, wherein a draining piston separates the draining reservoir and the draining pressure section; and   a pressure port connecting the filling chamber and the draining chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The implantable device of  claim 15 , wherein the first device is operatively coupled to the filling piston, wherein the filling chamber is sealed such that the filling piston cannot move unless the filling valve is open, and when the filling valve is open, the filling piston moves from a first position to a second position in response to the portion of the stored potential energy being released, wherein the amount of the fluid includes a volume of the fluid displaced when the filling piston moves from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The implantable device of  claim 16 , wherein the pressure port facilitates equalizing a pressure in the filling pressure section and the draining pressure section, and wherein the draining chamber is sealed such that the draining piston cannot move unless the draining valve is open. 
     
     
         18 . The implantable device of  claim 17 , wherein a vacuum pressure is generated in the filling pressure section and in the draining pressure section when the filling piston moves from the first position to the second position, and wherein the vacuum pressure exerts a draining force on the draining piston. 
     
     
         19 . The implantable device of  claim 18 , wherein the draining piston moves from a third position to a fourth position when the draining valve is open in response to the vacuum pressure exerting the draining force on the draining piston, and wherein a draining amount of the fluid is removed from the gastric band when the draining piston moves from the third position to the fourth position. 
     
     
         20 . The implantable device of  claim 19 , wherein the filling valve and the draining valve are alternately opened and closed until substantially all of the fluid in the filling reservoir has moved to the draining reservoir, which represents and end-of-life condition of the implantable device. 
     
     
         21 . The implantable device of  claim 1 , wherein the filling valve comprises a filling peristaltic pump operatively coupled to the filling reservoir and the gastric band, and wherein the draining valve comprises a draining peristaltic pump operatively coupled to the gastric band and the draining reservoir. 
     
     
         22 . The implantable device of  claim 21 , wherein the first device is disposed within the filling peristaltic pump, and wherein the filling peristaltic pump comprises an arresting mechanism. 
     
     
         23 . The implantable device of  claim 22 , wherein the first device releases the portion of the stored potential energy in response to the arresting mechanism being deactivated. 
     
     
         24 . The implantable device of  claim 21 , wherein the filling reservoir comprises a deflatable reservoir. 
     
     
         25 . The implantable device of  claim 21 , wherein the draining reservoir comprises a mammal body. 
     
     
         26 .- 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . An implantable device that uses potential energy to facilitate the movement of fluid to an inflatable portion of a gastric band, the implantable device comprising:
 a filling reservoir for holding the fluid;   a spring operatively coupled to the filling reservoir, wherein the spring comprises stored potential energy that facilitates moving an amount of the fluid to the inflatable portion of the gastric band;   a filling valve coupled between the filling reservoir and the gastric band, the filling valve being open or closed based on a first telemetric signal received from a remote transmitter, and when the filling valve is open, a portion of the stored potential energy is released causing the amount of the fluid to move from the filling reservoir into the inflatable portion of the gastric band, and when the filling valve is closed, a remaining amount of the stored potential energy remains stored in the spring;   a filling chamber comprising the filling reservoir and a filling pressure section;   a filling piston separating the filling reservoir and the filling pressure section;   a draining chamber comprising the draining reservoir and a draining pressure section;   a draining piston separating the draining reservoir and the draining pressure section;   a pressure port connecting the filling chamber and the draining chamber, wherein the spring is operatively coupled to the filling piston, wherein the filling chamber is sealed such that the filling piston cannot move unless the filling valve is open, and when the filling valve is open, the filling piston moves from a first position to a second position in response to the portion of the stored potential energy being released, wherein the amount of the fluid includes a volume of the fluid displaced when the filling piston moves from the first position to the second position;   a draining valve coupled between the draining reservoir and the gastric band, the draining valve being open or closed based on a second telemetric signal received from the remote transmitter, and when the draining valve is open, a portion of the fluid in the inflatable portion of the gastric band moves into the draining reservoir;   a flow meter for determining the amount of the fluid moving into or out of the inflatable portion of the gastric band;   a junction box comprising the filling valve, the draining valve, and the flow meter; and   a fluid port for filling the filling reservoir with the fluid causing an increase in the stored potential energy of the spring.   
     
     
         40 . The implantable device of  claim 39 , further comprising a second spring positioned within the draining reservoir and having second stored potential energy to move from a first position within the draining reservoir to a second position within the draining reservoir. 
     
     
         41 . The implantable device of  claim 39 , wherein the pressure port facilitates equalizing a pressure in the filling pressure section and the draining pressure section, and wherein the draining chamber is sealed such that the draining piston cannot move unless the draining valve is open. 
     
     
         42 . The implantable device of  claim 41 , wherein a vacuum pressure is generated in the filling pressure section and in the draining pressure section when the filling piston moves from the first position to the second position, and wherein the vacuum pressure exerts a draining force on the draining piston. 
     
     
         43 . The implantable device of  claim 42 , wherein the draining piston moves from a third position to a fourth position when the draining valve is open in response to the vacuum pressure exerting the draining force on the draining piston, and wherein a draining amount of the fluid is removed from the gastric band when the draining piston moves from the third position to the fourth position. 
     
     
         44 . An implantable device that uses potential energy to facilitate the movement of fluid to an inflatable portion of a gastric band, the implantable device comprising:
 a filling reservoir for holding the fluid;   a junction box coupled to the filling reservoir;   a flow meter disposed in the junction box, wherein the flow meter determines an amount of the fluid moving into or out of the inflatable portion of the gastric band;   a filling peristaltic pump coupled to the filling reservoir and the flow meter, wherein the filling peristaltic pump is disposed in the junction box, the filling peristaltic pump comprising:   a roller barrel configured to rotate, the roller barrel comprising a roller;   a co-axial compression arc;   a flexible tubing located between the roller barrel and the co-axial compression arc;   a locking bar configured to abut the roller to prevent the roller barrel from rotating;   an electromagnet that draws the locking bar away from the roller barrel and toward the electromagnet when the electromagnet is activated;   a first spiral spring comprising first stored potential energy, the first spiral spring releasing a portion of the first stored potential to cause the roller barrel to rotate when the locking bar retracts from the roller barrel, wherein the roller facilitates moving the amount of the fluid to the inflatable portion of the gastric band; and   a filling valve coupled between the filling reservoir and the gastric band, the filling valve being open or closed based on a first telemetric signal received from a remote transmitter, and when the filling valve is open, the portion of the first stored potential energy is released causing the amount of the fluid to move from the filling reservoir into the inflatable portion of the gastric band, and when the filling valve is closed, a remaining amount of the first stored potential energy remains stored in the first spiral spring;   a draining reservoir; and   a draining peristaltic pump coupled to the draining reservoir, the gastric band, and the flow meter, wherein the draining peristaltic pump is disposed in the junction box, the draining peristaltic pump comprising:   a second spiral spring comprising second stored potential energy to facilitate moving a draining amount of fluid out of the gastric band; and   a draining valve coupled between the draining reservoir and the gastric band, the draining valve being open or closed based on a second telemetric signal received from the remote transmitter, and when the draining valve is open, the draining amount of the fluid in the inflatable portion of the gastric band moves into the draining reservoir.   
     
     
         45 . The implantable device of  claim 44 , wherein the filling reservoir comprises a deflatable reservoir. 
     
     
         46 . The implantable device of  claim 44 , wherein the draining peristaltic pump comprises a draining arresting mechanism that releases a portion of the second stored potential energy in response to the draining arresting mechanism being deactivated.