Fatigue-resistant gastric banding device
View Patent ↗A fatigue-resistant inflatable gastric banding device suitable for laparoscopic placement around the stomach of a patient for the treatment of obesity and a method for such treatment are disclosed. The device includes a gastric band having a chambered inflatable member, substantially coextensive with an inner stomach facing surface of the band, that does not crease, wrinkle or fold when adjusted, so as to present a substantially smooth contour along the inner circumference, and to avoid fatigue or failure of the member itself. A gastric band having multiple inflatable compartments or chambers, which may be inflated together or individually is also disclosed.
1. A gastric band comprising:
a body portion having a width and a length sufficient to encircle a human stomach to form a stoma; and
an inflatable member coextensive with the width and continuous along the length of said body portion and having a substantially circular stomach-facing surface when the band is placed around the stomach, the inflatable member including a plurality of notches defining a plurality of chambers, the notches being structured to eliminate creasing, folding or wrinkling along the stomach-facing surface thereby reducing fatigue on the inflatable member, the body portion being located in an interior of the inflatable member.
2. The gastric band of claim 1 , wherein said chambers are in fluid communication with one another.
3. The gastric band of claim 2 , wherein said chambers are further defined by at least one rib of said inflatable member.
4. The gastric band of claim 1 , wherein said chambers are in fluid communication with one another and are further defined by at least one rib of said inflatable member.
5. The gastric band of claim 1 , wherein said chambers are in fluid isolation from one another.
6. The gastric band of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is attached to an interior surface of the inflatable member.
7. The gastric band of claim 1 , wherein the chambers extend beyond the width of the body portion.
8. A gastric band comprising:
an elongated body portion having connectable ends and having a width and a length sufficient to encircle a human stomach to form a stoma; and
an inflatable shell attached to said body portion and coextensive with the width and continuous along the length of said body portion, the shell forming a circular stomach-facing surface when the ends of the body portion are connected, the inflatable shell including a plurality of notches defining said plurality of chambers in fluid communication with one another;
the body portion being received in an interior of the inflatable shell.
9. The gastric band of claim 8 , wherein the body portion attaches to an interior wall of the inflatable shell.
10. The gastric band of claim 8 further comprising a fill tube for inflation of said inflatable shell.
11. The gastric band of claim 8 further comprising a buckle for receiving a portion of said body portion to secure said gastric band in a circle.
12. The gastric band of claim 11 , wherein gastric band is releasable secured.
13. The gastric band of claim 8 , wherein said chambers are further defined by at least one rib of said inflatable shell.
14. The gastric band of claim 8 , wherein the chambers extend beyond the width of the body portion.