IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,435,169
Granted Patent B2
US 8,435,169 · App. 12/945,213 · Granted May 7, 2013

Endoscope and endoscopic suturing instrument for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,435,169
App. No.
12/945,213
Granted
May 7, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for forming an artificial valve includes inserting a sheath having proximal and distal sections and a lumen extending therethrough orally into a body cavity; inserting an endoscope orally into a body cavity, the endoscope being slidably positioned within the sheath; holding tissue in a vicinity of a junction of a stomach and an esophagus where the artificial valve is to be formed, using a holding device extending from the sheath; penetrating through tissue of the esophagus and then through tissue of the stomach at an oral side of the junction of the stomach and the esophagus with a needle provided outside of the endoscope which is not mechanically connected to the holding device and which is moveable outside of the endoscope relative to the endoscope; and passing a binding member through the tissue of the esophagus and the tissue of the stomach using the needle.

Claims (17)

1. A method for forming an artificial valve to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, comprising:

inserting a sheath orally into a body cavity, wherein the sheath has proximal and distal sections and a lumen extending therethrough;

inserting an endoscope, which has an observation system, orally into a body cavity, wherein the endoscope is slidably positioned within the sheath;

holding tissue in a vicinity of a junction of a stomach and an esophagus where the artificial valve is to be formed, using a distal end of a holding device extending from the sheath;

penetrating through tissue of the esophagus and then through tissue of the stomach at an oral side of the junction of the stomach and the esophagus with a first needle, which is provided outside of the endoscope and is not mechanically connected to the holding device, and which is moveable outside of the endoscope relative to the endoscope;

passing a binding member through the tissue of the esophagus and the tissue of the stomach using the first needle; and

penetrating through the tissue of the esophagus and then through the tissue of the stomach at an oral side of the junction of the stomach and the esophagus with a second needle, which is provided outside of the endoscope and is not mechanically connected to the holding device, wherein the second needle is spaced apart from the first needle by a fixed distance and is arranged substantially in parallel with the first needle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first needle has a hollow space disposed therein for engaging the binding member.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second needle has a hollow space disposed therein for engaging a second binding member.

4. A method for forming an artificial valve to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, comprising:

inserting a sheath orally into a body cavity, wherein the sheath has proximal and distal sections and a lumen extending therethrough;

inserting an endoscope, which has an observation system, orally into a body cavity, wherein the endoscope is slidably positioned within the sheath;

holding tissue in a vicinity of a junction of a stomach and an esophagus where the artificial valve is to be formed, using a distal end of a holding device extending from the sheath;

penetrating through tissue of the esophagus and then through tissue of the stomach at an oral side of the junction of the stomach and the esophagus with a first needle, which is provided outside of the endoscope and is not mechanically connected to the holding device, and which is moveable outside of the endoscope relative to the endoscope;

guiding a first binding member through the tissue of the esophagus and the tissue of the stomach using the first needle;

penetrating through the tissue of the esophagus and then through the tissue of the stomach at an oral side of the junction of the stomach and the esophagus with a second needle, which is provided outside of the endoscope and is not mechanically connected to the holding device, wherein the second needle is spaced apart from the first needle by a fixed distance and is arranged substantially in parallel with the first needle; and

guiding a second binding member through the tissue of the esophagus and the tissue of the stomach using the second needle.

Assignments (14)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 5, 2023
From: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.; APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC.; APOLLO ENDOSURGERY INTERNATIONAL, LLC; LPATH THERAPEUTICS, INC.
To: INNOVATUS LIFE SCIENCES LENDING FUND I, LP
Reel/Frame 063264/0046 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2021
From: SLR INVESTMENT CORP. (F/K/A SOLAR CAPITAL LTD.)
To: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC.; APOLLO ENDOSURGERY INTERNATIONAL, LLC; APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.; LPATH THERAPEUTICS INC.
Reel/Frame 058599/0297 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 23, 2021
From: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.; APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC. (F/K/A LPATH, INC.)
To: INNOVATUS LIFE SCIENCES LENDING FUND I, LP
Reel/Frame 058980/0199 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 15, 2019
From: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC.
To: SOLAR CAPITAL LTD., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048885/0687 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 18, 2019
From: ATHYRIUM OPPORTUNITIES II ACQUISITION LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC. (F/K/A APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.)
Reel/Frame 048622/0328 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 18, 2019
From: ATHYRIUM OPPORTUNITIES II ACQUISITION LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC. (F/K/A APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.)
Reel/Frame 048622/0343 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 27, 2017
From: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.
To: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC.
Reel/Frame 042106/0912 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US, INC.
To: ATHYRIUM OPPORTUNITIES II ACQUISITION LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041224/0821 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 27, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039344/0502 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2015
From: BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM AND ITS COMPONENT INSTITUTION UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH
To: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.
Reel/Frame 035312/0712 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2015
From: PASRICHA, PANKAJ JAY
To: BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM AND ITS COMPONENT INSTITUTION UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH
Reel/Frame 035297/0581 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 2, 2015
From: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.
To: ATHYRIUM OPPORTUNITIES II ACQUISITION LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 035120/0843 →
TERMINATION OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST (RECORDED ON 12/3/13 AT REEL/FRAME 031756/0729 AND ON 1/2/14 AT REEL/FRAME 031910/0460) Recorded Mar 2, 2015
From: OXFORD FINANCE LLC, AS AGENT
To: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.
Reel/Frame 035120/0740 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 3, 2013
From: APOLLO ENDOSURGERY, INC.
To: OXFORD FINANCE LLC, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 031756/0729 →