US4878905A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gastrointestinal module: a nonsurgical implant
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1988-08-10
•
Granted: 1989-11-07
•
Expires: 2008-08-10
Abstract
Abstract A nonsurgically implanted gastrointestinal module is described. The module consists of an ellipsoidal or spherical collapsible gastric anchor, a tether device, and an intestinal payload module. The device is inserted into the stomach via a gastric intubation technique. The gastric anchor unfolds within the gastric cavity and lodges itself prior to the sphincter. The smaller intestinal module passes through the sphincter and unfolds within the confines of the intestine. The intestinal module is held in place via a tether which binds the gastric anchor to the intestinal payload module. The intestinal module may contain slow release medicaments, bound enzymes, cofactors, buffers, microorganisms and the like. Thus biochemical processes of the intestine may be modified, and these in turn may affect other body compartments. The gastrointestinal module may be removed with a retrieval hook via a gastric intubation technique.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl G. Blass
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:11
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F5/00; A61F5/0003; A61F5/0013; A61F5/0036; A61K; A61K9/00; A61K9/20; A61K9/2072
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A gastrointestinal module comprising in combination a collapsible gastric anchor component including a flexible cavity-wall gastric engaging member and a plurality of flexible, resilient ribs extending upwardly therefrom converging to a common apex, an intestinal payload component containing releasable medicaments for altering the biochemical process within the bowel, tether means secured to the anchor component only adjacent said apex and extending downwardly therefrom through and unconnected to said gastric-cavity wall engaging member to the payload component connected to and supporting said payload component from said anchor component, and means maintaining said anchor component in a collapsed condition until implanted.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
A gastrointestinal module comprising in combination a collapsible gastric anchor component including a flexible cavity-wall gastric engaging member and a plurality of flexible, resilient ribs extending upwardly therefrom converging to a common apex, an intestinal payload component containing releasable medicaments for altering the biochemical process within the bowel, tether means secured to the anchor component only adjacent said apex and extending downwardly therefrom through and unconnected to said gastric-cavity wall engaging member to the payload component connected to and supporting said payload component from said anchor component, and means maintaining said anchor component in a collapsed condition until implanted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said payload comprises an elongated flexible envelope secured by the upper end thereof to said tether means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said tether means includes a relatively thin flexible connecting cable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention according to claim 2 in which said tether means includes a relatively thin flexible connecting cable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said means maintaining said components in the collapsed condition until implanted comprises encapsulating said components individually in an envelope of material dissolvable when in position, by hydrolysis of said material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention according to claim 2 in which said means maintaining said components in the collapsed condition until implanted comprises encapsulating said components individually in an envelope of material dissolvable when in position, by hydrolysis of said material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention according to claim 5 in which said material is gelatin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention according to claim 6 in which said material is gelatin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said gastro-cavity-wall engaging member comprises a base ring and the ribs comprise a plurality of spaced apart ribs curving upwardly from said ring to said apex.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 2 in which said gastro-cavity-wall engaging member comprises a base ring and the ribs comprise a plurality of spaced apart ribs curving upwardly from said ring to said apex.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 5 in which said gastro-cavity-wall engaging member comprises a base ring and the ribs comprise a plurality of spaced apart ribs curving upwardly from said ring to said apex.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 6 in which said gastro-cavity-wall engaging member comprises a base ring and the ribs comprise a plurality of spaced apart ribs curving upwardly from said ring to said apex.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1561020A
Cited
US2498692A
Cited
US2671451A
Cited
US2773502A
Cited
US3312215A
Cited
US3483859A
Cited
US3811423A
Cited
US4315509A
Cited
US4531936A
Cited
US4687480A
Cited
US4731054A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-11-06 | 1993-05-08 | 1993-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-11-06 | 1997-05-08 | 1997-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-11-06 | 2001-05-08 | 2001-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |