Systems and methods for enabling passage of an intragastric device

Abstract

Devices and methods for treating obesity are provided. More particularly, intragastric devices and methods of fabricating, deploying, inflating, monitoring, and retrieving the same are provided. More particularly, apparatuses and methods for enabling volume-occupying intragastric devices to pass through the digestive system are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An intragastric balloon system, the system comprising:
 an intragastric balloon;   at least two wires in communication with a surface of a wall of the intragastric balloon; and   an electronics package configured to facilitate a supply of current to the at least two wires.   
     
     
         2 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics package is configured to complete a circuit between the at least two wires. 
     
     
         3 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 2 , wherein the electronics package comprises a switch, wherein the electronics package is configured to complete a circuit between the least two wires by activating the switch. 
     
     
         4 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least two wires comprise a copper wire and an aluminum wire, wherein the system further comprises a saline solution in communication with the at least two wires. 
     
     
         5 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two wires are embedded within a weld of the balloon. 
     
     
         6 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics package comprises a timer, wherein the electronics package is configured to facilitate the supply of current to the at least two wires at a predetermined time or after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         7 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics package further comprises a communications module, the communications module configured to receive data from an external device. 
     
     
         8 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 7 , wherein the electronics package is configured to receive an instruction to initiate the supply of current to the at least two wires from the external device. 
     
     
         9 . The intragastric balloon system of  claim 1 , wherein the intragastric balloon comprises a uni-directional polymer film. 
     
     
         10 . An intragastric balloon, comprising a uni-directional polymer film, the uni-directional polymer film comprising a plurality of polymer molecules oriented along a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The intragastric balloon of  claim 10 , wherein the uni-directional polymer film is embedded within a seam of the intragastric balloon. 
     
     
         12 . The intragastric balloon of  claim 10 , further comprising an erodible material in communication with the uni-directional polymer film, the erodible material configured to erode in the gastric environment over a period of time, wherein erosion of the erodible material is configured to form one or more holes in the uni-directional polymer film. 
     
     
         13 . The intragastric balloon of  claim 10 , further comprising an electronics package, the electronics package configured to initiate the formation of one or more holes in the uni-directional polymer film. 
     
     
         14 . The intragastric balloon of  claim 13 , wherein the electronics package further comprises a timer, wherein the electronics package is configured to initiate the formation of one or more holes in the uni-directional polymer film at a predetermined time or after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         15 . The intragastric balloon of  claim 13 , wherein the electronics package further comprises a communications module, the communications module configured to receive data from an external device. 
     
     
         16 . The intragastric balloon of  claim 15 , wherein the communications module is configured to receive an instruction to initiate the formation of one or more holes in the uni-directional film from the external device.