GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX TREATMENT SYSTEM, METHOD, AND DEVICE
A gastroesophageal reflux preventer and related methods are provided. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer may include an absorbable material able to be placed in contact with a body organ and configured to induce a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of the material. In this manner, a proximate sphincter may be tightened, such as to ameliorate reflux through a gastroesophageal sphincter.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Prov. Pat. App. No. 62/744,538 entitled “GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX TREATMENT SYSTEM, METHOD, AND DEVICE,” naming Moises Jacobs as inventor, and filed on Oct. 11, 2018, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for any purpose.
FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to a medical device, and more specifically to a gastroesophageal reflux treatment system, method, and device.
BACKGROUNDMany individuals suffer from gastroesophageal reflux. Efforts have been made to treat gastroesophageal reflux. Many treatment modalities exhibit significant complications, are complex, and/or are very expensive. Thus there exists a need for improved systems, methods, and devices for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux.
SUMMARYThe forgoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description and accompanying drawings.
Embodiments of gastroesophageal reflux treatment systems, methods, and devices are disclosed. For instance, an implantable gastroesophageal reflux treatment device may include a gastroesophageal reflux preventer and a closure mechanism emplaceable proximate to an organ. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer is absorbable by a human body. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer is configured to induce a scar pattern upon absorption by the human body. By structuring the gastroesophageal reflux preventer to induce a desired scar pattern upon absorption, tightening of a sphincter may be induced responsive to the scarring, thereby ameliorating gastroesophageal reflux through the sphincter. Thus, a gastroesophageal reflux treatment system, method, and device may include the planned inducement of scarring in a pattern corresponding to a structure of a gastroesophageal reflux preventer as disclosed herein.
A gastroesophageal reflux preventer is provided. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer includes an elongate portion of an absorbable material having a first end and a second end. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer includes a support string having a first portion extending outwardly from the first end and having a second portion extending outwardly from the second end. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer also includes a closure mechanism configured to retain at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of the elongate portion.
A further gastroesophageal reflux preventer is provided. The further gastroesophageal reflux preventer may include a plurality of nodes including pieces of an absorbable mesh material linked together by a support string. The support string may have a first portion extending outwardly from a first end of the plurality of nodes linked together and may have a second portion extending outwardly from a second end of the plurality of nodes linked together. Moreover, the gastroesophageal reflux preventer may have a closure mechanism configured to retain at least a portion of the plurality of nodes in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of at least one node of the plurality of nodes.
A method of making a gastroesophageal reflux preventer is provided. The method may include providing an elongate portion of an absorbable material having a first end and a second end. The method may also include providing a support string having a first portion extending outwardly from the first end and having a second portion extending outwardly from the second end. The method may also include providing a closure mechanism attached to the support string and configured to retain at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of the elongate portion.
A method of reducing leakage of a body fluid through a gastroesophageal sphincter is provided. In various embodiments, the method includes resting an elongate portion of a gastroesophageal reflux preventer against at least one of a stomach and an esophagus proximate to the gastroesophageal sphincter. The method may further include retaining at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with the at least one of the stomach and the esophagus by encircling at least one of the elongate portion and a support string extending outwardly from the elongate portion about the at least one of the stomach and the esophagus and engaging a closure mechanism attached to the support string. In various embodiments, engaging the closure mechanism includes knotting together (i) a first portion of the support string extending outwardly from a first end of the elongate portion and (ii) a second portion of the support string extending outwardly from a second end of the elongate portion.
A further gastroesophageal reflux preventer is provided. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer may include an elongate portion and a closure mechanism. The elongate portion may be of an absorbable material having a first end and a second end. The closure mechanism may be a knotting together of the first end and the second end to retain at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of the elongate portion.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice embodiments of the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical changes and adaptations in design and construction may be made in accordance with this invention and the teachings herein. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not limitation. The scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Also, any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact.
Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Surface shading lines may be used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.
In various example embodiments, a 5 mm circumference rounded solid meshed absorbable material of different lengths (e.g., 5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, and/or 8 cm in length, or any other desired length) with sutures protruding at each end is provided. In various instances a single suture protrudes at each end. The single sutures can be tied to each other to close a circle when placed around the gastroesophageal junction. The mesh may loosely lie around the esophagus, so that when the ends are tied, the mesh by itself does not constrict the esophagus.
The absorbable material may be synthetic absorbable surgical suture, such as a monofilament prepared from a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone. For example, the absorbable material may be poliglecaprone 25, Monocryl® available from Ethicon, and/or the like. Moreover, the absorbable material may be a synthetic absorbable surgical suture such as may be formed of a copolymer made from 90% glycolide and 10% L-lactide. For example, the absorbable material may be polyglactin 910, Vicryl® available from Ethicon, and/or the like. In various embodiments, the absorbable material may be prepared from the polyester, poly (p-dioxanone). For example, the absorbable material may be polydioxanone, PDS® II available from Ethicon, and/or the like. One may appreciate that in further embodiments, the absorbable material may be any suitable material identified by a skilled artisan.
Alternatively, the round solid mesh may be of longer length, but it may have a hollow inner diameter through which an absorbable suture passes and slides, so that the solid mesh can be cut away/separated from the inner suture at predetermined lengths or at any desired lengths, making a “one size fits all” implantable gastroesophageal reflux treatment device for different esophageal circumferences. The protruding sutures may be loosely tied, creating a loose circle of mesh around the esophagus, and any excess suture is cut away.
In various embodiments, the implantable gastroesophageal reflux treatment device, such as the rounded solid absorbable mesh, is placed between the posterior vagus nerve and around the outer wall of the esophagus at the gastroesophageal junction below the diaphragm. Any hiatal hernias may be repaired if present thus returning the gastroesophageal junction to its normal anatomic position if possible, at the same time that the implantable gastroesophageal reflux treatment device is emplaced.
Subsequently, scar tissue induced by the mesh, enhances closure of the sphincter of the gastroesophageal junction as the mesh is absorbed. In this manner, reflux through the sphincter is ameliorated.
Further aspects, features, and embodiments are disclosed herein below with reference to specific drawings. For example, turning attention now to
In various embodiments, the resultant scar induced proximate to the area of contact has a size and shape (a profile) carefully tuned by tuning of the geometry of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer. For instance, a scar may be 360 degrees around an esophagus, such as may be generated by a gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 shown in
The implantable gastroesophageal reflux treatment device 1 may have a variety of configurations. For instance, different gastroesophageal reflux preventers 6 may combine with different closure mechanisms 15. Various configurations of gastroesophageal reflux preventers 6 may have different cross-sectional profiles 7, such as those shown in
The gastroesophageal reflux preventers 6 may include a variety of configurations of absorbable materials and also include a support string 3. The support string 3 may comprise a string made of absorbable material, such as an absorbable suture. The support string 3 may extend from the ends of the various gastroesophageal reflux preventers 6 discussed herein. The support string 3 may be connectable to itself such as via a closure mechanism 15. For example, the support string 3 extending from one end may be tied with the support string 3 extending from the other end into a knot. In various instances, the support string 3 passes through device, for instance, through an elongate portion of absorbable material, and extends from each end. In further instances, the support string 3 comprises two segments, with a first segment attached to a first end of the device (e.g., to an elongate portion of absorbable material) and a second segment attached to a second end of the device (e.g., to the elongate portion of absorbable material). Moreover, while reference is made to a support string 3 throughout, such reference is for convenience, and in various embodiments, the support string 3 is a shorthand description of a portion of the elongate portion aspect of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6. For instance, rather than knotting an outwardly extending support string 3 to retain the gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6, the support string 3 may be a shorthand description for knotting together the ends of the elongate portion of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6, and no separate string aspect may be provided.
With specific attention now to
The absorbable material may be synthetic absorbable surgical suture, such as a monofilament prepared from a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone. For example, the absorbable material may be poliglecaprone 25, Monocryl® available from Ethicon, and/or the like. Moreover, the absorbable material may be a synthetic absorbable surgical suture such as may be formed of a copolymer made from 90% glycolide and 10% L-lactide. For example, the absorbable material may be polyglactin 910, Vicryl® available from Ethicon, and/or the like. In various embodiments, the absorbable material may be prepared from the polyester, poly (p-dioxanone). For example, the absorbable material may be polydioxanone, PDS® II available from Ethicon, and/or the like. One may appreciate that in further embodiments, the absorbable material may be any suitable material identified by a skilled artisan.
In various instances, the sheathed preventer 8 is filled. In further instances, the sheathed preventer 8 is hollow. A sheathed preventer 8 may be filled with a same or similar solid meshed absorbable material. The filling may be continuous, or may be intermittent. For instance,
With specific attention to
With reference to
In various instances, the perforated sheathed preventer 10 is filled. In further instances, the perforated sheathed preventer 10 is hollow. A filled perforated sheathed preventer 10 may be filled with a same or similar solid meshed absorbable material. The filling may be continuous, or may be intermittent. For instance,
With reference to
The absorbable material may be synthetic absorbable surgical suture, such as a monofilament prepared from a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone. For example, the absorbable material may be poliglecaprone 25, Monocryl® available from Ethicon, and/or the like. Moreover, the absorbable material may be a synthetic absorbable surgical suture such as may be formed of a copolymer made from 90% glycolide and 10% L-lactide. For example, the absorbable material may be polyglactin 910, Vicryl® available from Ethicon, and/or the like. In various embodiments, the absorbable material may be prepared from the polyester, poly (p-dioxanone). For example, the absorbable material may be polydioxanone, PDS® II available from Ethicon, and/or the like. One may appreciate that in further embodiments, the absorbable material may be any suitable material identified by a skilled artisan.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
Second edge notches 31 are spaced apart notches along a second edge of the notched sheet portion 27 opposite the first edge notches 29. Second edge notches 31 may be spaced at different stations along the length of the notched sheet portion 27. In various embodiments, the first edge notches 29 and the second edge notches 31 are spaced apart along their respective first and second edges of the notched sheet portion 27 such that each first edge notch 29 corresponds to a second edge notch 31 at a same station along the length of the notched sheet portion 27. Moreover, the notched sheet portion 27 may be separated, such as by tearing or cutting, at one or more first edge notches 29 and at one of the one or more second edge notches 31. For instance, a tear or cut may be started at a first edge notch 29 and end at a second edge notch 31. Alternatively, a tear or cut may be started at a second edge notch 31 and may end at a first edge notch 29. In this manner, the notched sheet portion 27 may be “one size fits all” meaning that the length of the notched sheet portion 27 may be readily shortened to correspond to a desired geometry. For instance, the gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 may be shortened during a surgical installation so that it corresponds to a circumference of a specific patient's esophagus, or a desired scarring profile depending on a patient's physiology, esophageal motility, treatment objectives, etc.
Having introduced various embodiments of gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6, attention is shifted to
For example, the cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise a cross-sectional shape of an elongate portion configured as a tubular portion 9 of a sheathed preventer 8. The cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise a cross-sectional shape of an elongate portion configured as a perforated tubular portion 11 of a perforated sheathed preventer 10. The cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise a cross-sectional shape of an elongate portion configured as a sectioned tubular portion 13 of a sectioned sheath preventer 12 (and different sectioned tubular portions 13 of a same sectioned sheath preventer 12 may have different cross-sectional profiles 7). The cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise a cross-sectional shape of a node of an elongate portion configured as linked node preventer 14, including a trapezoidal node 16, a rounded node 17, a spherical node 18, and/or an annular node 19. Different nodes of a linked node preventer 14 may have different cross-sectional profiles 7. The cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise a cross-sectional shape of an elongate portion configured as a sheet portion 21 of a sheet preventer 20. The cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise a cross-sectional shape of an elongate portion configured as a perforated sheet portion 23 of a perforated sheet preventer 22. The cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise a cross-sectional shape of an elongate portion configured as a notched sheet portion 27 of a one-side notched sheet preventer 24. The cross-sectional profiles 7 discussed herein may comprise an elongate portion configured as a cross-sectional shape of a notched sheet portion 27 of a dual-side notched sheet preventer 26. In addition, different portions or aspects of a gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 may have different cross-sectional profiles 7, for instance, the cross-sectional profile 7 of a gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 may change from location to location. The cross-sectional profile 7 may correspond to a desired scarring profile.
More specifically, with reference to
More specifically, with reference to
Furthermore, now with reference to
Moreover, in various embodiments the convexity corresponds to a profile of an organ. For example, an esophagus and a stomach may connect together. Body tissue proximate to the junction may have a curve, such as so that the esophagus wall transitions along a curvature to a stomach wall. The convexity may correspond to the shape of a union of an esophagus and a stomach. The convexity may correspond to a profile of an organ. In this manner, the surface of the convexity may rest against a corresponding surface of a body organ. Thus, a convex cross-section 32 may be said to nest against a curve of a body organ.
Directing attention now to
Shifting focus now to
With reference to
A gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 may include multiple portions of material that are collected together such as strands collected into a rope, strands collected into a braid, and/or similar. For instance, a gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 may have a cross-sectional profile 7 as shown in
With reference to
In further instances, a cross-sectional profile 7 of a gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 may comprise an L-shape cross-section 44, such as is depicted in
Having introduced a variety of embodiments of gastroesophageal reflux preventers 6 comprising a variety of configurations, attention is now directed to the previously mentioned closure mechanism 15 (
With reference to
A knot 5 may comprise a bow knot closure 46. For instance, as shown in
Turning attention to
Finally, and with reference to
For example, a gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6 may include a support string 3 mentioned elsewhere herein. The support string 3 may have two ends extending oppositely from the gastroesophageal reflux preventer 6. The one-way insertion closure 54 may include a thickened tab 57 attached proximate to a first end of the support string 3, and a slotted receiver 53 attached proximate to a second end of the support string 3 opposite the first end.
A thickened tab 57 may comprise a portion of a support string 3, or a separate member attached to the end of the support string 3, that is thicker than the support string 3. In various embodiments, the thickened tab 57 is only partially thicker than the support string 3. For example, the thickened tab 57 may be tapered such that a tip of the thickened tab 57 is thinner than a root of the thickened tab 57 where the root is the end of the thickened tab 57 closest to the support string 3 and the tip is the end of the thickened tab 57 cantilevered distally farthest from the support string 3. In various embodiments, the thickened tab 57 may be cone-shaped. Thus the thickened tab 57 may be self-aligning with a slotted receiver 53, so that the thin tip readily inserts into a portion of a slotted receiver 53, and as the thickened tab 57 is inserted further into the slotted receiver 53, the thickened tab 57 progressively fills the slotted receiver 53. The thickened tab 57 may be sized to progressively become larger than a corresponding aperture in the slotted receiver 53, such that the thickened tab 57 is compressed during insertion into an aperture of the slotted receiver 53, and following passage through the aperture of the slotted receiver 53, uncompresses to become larger than the aperture, such that the thickened tab 57 is restricted from passing oppositely through the aperture and disconnecting therefrom.
The slotted receiver 53 may comprise a portion of a support string 3, or a separate member attached to an end of the support string 3. The slotted receiver 53 may be a spaced node 58 (
Having introduced various configurations of gastroesophageal reflux preventers 6, various examples of different embodiments that combine subsets of features will now be discussed. Turning first to
Turning now to
A further embodiment is depicted in
Yet a further embodiment is depicted in
With reference to
With reference to
Finally, and with reference to
The first portion 192 and the second portion 194 may be joinable together by a closure mechanism 15. In various embodiments, the closure mechanism 15 comprises an abutment closure 195. For instance, the first portion 192 and the second portion 194 may at least partially abut proximate to an end of the first portion 192 and an end of the second portion 194. The abutting region may be sutured together, or may be magnetically attracted together, or may comprise mechanically interlocking features, etc.
Various benefits and advantages have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, and any elements that may cause any benefit or advantage to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C.
The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting.
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “various embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.
Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f), unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
Claims
1. A gastroesophageal reflux preventer comprising:
- an elongate portion of an absorbable material having a first end and a second end;
- a support string having a first portion extending outwardly from the first end and having a second portion extending outwardly from the second end; and
- a closure mechanism configured to retain at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of the elongate portion.
2. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the closure mechanism comprises a knot connecting the first portion of the support string to the second portion of the support string.
3. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the closure mechanism comprises an inward clasp closure comprising a pin attached to the first portion of the support string and a slot attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the pin, wherein the inward clasp closure is disposed inwardly of an outward edge of the elongate portion of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer when the pin and the slot are engaged.
4. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the closure mechanism comprises an outward clasp closure comprising a pin attached to the first portion of the support string and a slot attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the pin, wherein the outward clasp closure is disposed outwardly of an inner edge of the elongate portion of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer when the pin and the slot are engaged.
5. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the closure mechanism comprises a one-way insertion closure comprising a thickened tab attached to the first portion of the support string and slotted receiver attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the thickened tab.
6. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the elongate portion comprises a sectioned tubular portion having a plurality of sections spaced apart along a length of the support string.
7. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the elongate portion comprises a tube through which the support string passes.
8. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the elongate portion comprises a tube wherein the support string extends from ends of the tube but does not pass internally through the tube.
9. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 1, wherein the elongate portion comprises a perforated tubular portion having spaced apart perforations such that the perforated tubular portion may be provided at an overall desired length by separating at least one perforation.
10. A gastroesophageal reflux preventer comprising:
- a plurality of nodes comprising pieces of an absorbable mesh material linked together by a support string;
- the support string having a first portion extending outwardly from a first end of the plurality of nodes linked together and having a second portion extending outwardly from a second end of the plurality of nodes linked together; and
- a closure mechanism configured to retain at least a portion of the plurality of nodes in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of at least one node of the plurality of nodes.
11. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 10, wherein a knotted portion of the first portion and the second portion of the support string comprises the closure mechanism.
12. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of nodes extend no more than 270 degrees around a portion of a body organ, wherein the support string extends a remaining 90 degrees around a portion of the body organ.
13. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 10, wherein the at least one node comprises an annular node defining an aperture.
14. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 13, wherein the closure mechanism comprises a one-way insertion closure comprising a thickened tab attached to the first portion of the support string and a slotted receiver attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the thickened tab, the slotted receiver comprising the annular node defining the aperture and the thickened tab receivable into the aperture.
15. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 10, wherein the closure mechanism comprises a knot connecting the first portion of the support string to the second portion of the support string.
16. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 10, wherein the closure mechanism comprises a pin attached to the first portion of the support string and a slot attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the pin.
17. The gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 10, wherein the closure mechanism comprises a one-way insertion closure comprising a thickened tab attached to the first portion of the support string and slotted receiver attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the thickened tab.
18. A method of making a gastroesophageal reflux preventer comprising:
- providing an elongate portion of an absorbable material having a first end and a second end;
- providing a support string having a first portion extending outwardly from the first end and having a second portion extending outwardly from the second end; and
- providing a closure mechanism configured to retain at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of the elongate portion.
19. The method of making the gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 18, wherein providing the closure mechanism includes providing an inward clasp closure comprising a pin attached to the first portion of the support string and a slot attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the pin, wherein the inward clasp closure is disposed inwardly of an outward edge of the elongate portion of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer when the pin and the slot are engaged.
20. The method of making the gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 18, wherein providing the closure mechanism includes providing an outward clasp closure comprising a pin attached to the first portion of the support string and a slot attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the pin, wherein the outward clasp closure is disposed outwardly of an inner edge of the elongate portion of the gastroesophageal reflux preventer when the pin and the slot are engaged.
21. The method of making the gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 18, wherein providing the closure mechanism includes providing a one-way insertion closure comprising providing a thickened tab attached to the first portion of the support string and providing a slotted receiver attached to the second portion of the support string to receive the thickened tab.
22. The method of making the gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 18, wherein the elongate portion comprises a sectioned tubular portion having a plurality of sections spaced apart along at least a portion of length of the support string.
23. The method of making the gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 22, wherein the at least the portion of length of the support string comprises no more than 270 degrees around at least a portion of a body organ when installed in a body.
24. The method of making the gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 18, further including passing the support string through the elongate portion.
25. The method of making the gastroesophageal reflux preventer according to claim 18, further including providing spaced apart perforations along the elongate portion.
26. A method of reducing leakage of a body fluid through a gastroesophageal sphincter comprising:
- resting an elongate portion of a gastroesophageal reflux preventer against at least one of a stomach and an esophagus proximate to the gastroesophageal sphincter; and
- retaining at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with the at least one of the stomach and the esophagus by encircling at least one of the elongate portion and a support string extending outwardly from the elongate portion about the at least one of the stomach and the esophagus and engaging a closure mechanism;
- wherein engaging the closure mechanism comprises knotting together (i) a first portion of the support string extending outwardly from a first end of the elongate portion and (ii) a second portion of the support string extending outwardly from a second end of the elongate portion.
27. A gastroesophageal reflux preventer comprising:
- an elongate portion of an absorbable material having a first end and a second end; and
- a closure mechanism comprising a knotting together of the first end and the second end to retain at least a portion of the elongate portion in contact with a body organ during at least a portion of a scarification of the body organ in response to absorption by the body organ of the elongate portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 23, 2019
Publication Date: Apr 16, 2020
Inventor: Moises Jacobs (Miami, FL)
Application Number: 16/579,501