Patent EP0571938A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0571938A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Process and device for treating obesity and motor disorders of the stomach
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1993-05-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-05-25
Abstract
Abstract The process for treating obesity and syndromes related to motor disorders of the stomach of a patient consists in artificially altering, by means of sequential electrical pulses and for preset periods of time, the natural gastric motility of the patient to prevent emptying or to slow down gastric transit. The device for performing this process includes an electrical stimulator which is provided with a means for connecting it at the level of the distal antrum (7) of the stomach of the patient by laparoscopic means and with an operating frequency comprised between 2 and 15 pulses per minute, to eliminate or reduce gastric motility for a preset time so as to slow down or prevent the transit of food material.
Inventors
- 👤 Valerio Cigaina
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:05
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/36007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
Process for treating obesity and syndromes related to motor disorders of the stomach of a patient, characterized in that it consists in artificially altering, by means of sequential electrical pulses and for preset periods of time, the natural gastric motility of the patient to prevent emptying or to slow down food transit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
Process according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists in artificially altering, by means of said sequential electrical pulses and for preset periods of time, the proper function of the lower esophageal and pyloric sphincters and the natural gastric motility of the patient in order to improve sphincter function, prevent reflux disorders and slow down gastric transit to prevent duodenal acidification caused by faster interdigestive transit of gastric juice.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said sequential electrical pulses are generated by an electrical stimulator applied subcutaneously on the abdominal wall and is anchored onto the fascia of the musculus rectus abdominis, said stimulator being provided with an electrocatheter the tip thereof being is inserted in the seromuscular layer of the gastric antrum, said electrocatheter being placed in said gastric parietal seat by means of a laparoscopic procedure or by another other access path deemed convenient.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
Process according to claim 3, characterized in that said electrical stimulator generates, along the entire stomach, one or more sinusoidal waves which are identical to the sinusoidal waves generated naturally by the gastric pacemaker of said stomach to perform normal visceral emptying but have opposite effects.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
Process according to claim 3, characterized in that said electrical stimulator is provided with a means for connection to the antral region of said stomach.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrical stimulator has a preset operating frequency and period which can vary according to the individual characteristics of the patient being treated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
Process according to claim 3, characterized in that said electrical stimulator has an operating frequency comprised between 2 and 15 pulses per minute.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
Process according to claim 7, characterized in that each one of said pulses has a duration comprised between 10 and 90 milliseconds, according to a specific chronaxie which defines the excitability threshold in terms of stimulus length.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
Process according to claim 7, characterized in that each one of said pulses has a discharge comprised between 2 and 15 milliamperes with constant current and between 1 and 10 volts with controlled voltage, according to the electrical characteristics of the catheter used and to a specific rheobase of the tissue to be stimulated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
116 words
Device for treating obesity and syndromes related to motor disorders of the stomach of a patient, characterized in that it comprises an electrical stimulator which is provided with a means for connecting it at the level of the distal antrum of the stomach or of other points of the stomach according to the disorder to be treated by laparoscopic means, said stimulator having an operating frequency comprised between 2 and 15 pulses per minute in order to eliminate or reduce the motility of said stomach so as to slow down or prevent food transit therein or improve the function of the lower esophageal or pyloric sphincters or prevent acidification of the duodenum for a preset time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
Device according to claim 10, characterized in that said connecting means comprises an electrocatheter which has an internal conductor the end of which has a metallic conducting tip from which appropriately angled metallic micro-barbs extend, said barbs being pointed but not sharp and stabilizing the contact.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
Device according to claim 11, characterized in that said electrocatheter has a sheath made of inert and biocompatible plastic material which has, proximate to said metallic tip, a flat velveted expansion, made of plastic material, for anchoring on the gastric serosa with a surgical stitch.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
Device according to claim 11, characterized in that said connecting means comprises an electrocatheter which has a first insulating sheath to insulate said metallic tip, which acts as stimulating conductor, from a second metallic sheath, which acts as return conductor; said second sheath having, at its ends, a rigid cylinder with laminas which can open elastically and have an end which is inclined so as to engage in the sub-serosal layer of the gastric wall when said laminas are divaricated by an insulating and flexible tubular slider member which wraps around said second metallic sheath and its insulation, and slides thereon in a guided manner, without rotating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
Device according to claim 13, characterized in that said tubular slider member has a number of openings or slots equal to the number of said inclined laminas to allow their divarication with respect to the surface of said electrocatheter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
Device according to claim 11, characterized in that said electrocatheter, in case of duodenal ulcer, has up to three points of seromuscular contact and the corresponding openings on said tubular slider for reception and/or stimulation of said stomach.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
Device according to claim 11, characterized in that said electrocatheter comprises a monopolar terminal or a transducer of muscular tension or of muscular mechanical movement to assess the electrical and/or mechanical activity of a portion of the viscus in order to determine the sphincter stimulation time by means of a bipolar opening provided on said tubular slider.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
Device according to one or more of the present claims, characterized in that said electrocatheter can be connected to an external receiver-programmer or receiver-recorder to adjust its parameters and/or assess the myoelectric activity of the stomach.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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