DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ENDOLUMENAL WEIGHT LOSS TREATMENTS
Devices and methods for forming and securing tissue folds, elongated invaginations, and tissue appositions in stomach tissue are used as a treatment for obesity. In a first embodiment, a plurality of tissue folds is formed in the fundus region of the stomach. In a second embodiment, one or more elongated invaginations are formed in the body region and/or antrum of the stomach. In a third embodiment, a plurality of tissue folds is formed in the fundus region of the stomach and one or more elongated invaginations is formed in the body region and/or antrum of the stomach. In other embodiments, a plurality of tissue folds is formed in the fundus region of the stomach and one or more tissue appositions are formed in the body region and/or antrum of the stomach. Additional embodiments include various combinations of tissue folds, elongated invaginations, tissue appositions, and other reconfigurations of stomach tissue.
1 . A method for treatment of the stomach of a patient, with the stomach having a fundus with internal fundus tissue, a proximal antrum, a distal body, and a gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), comprising:
A.) advancing an endoscopic body through a patient's mouth and esophagus and into the patient's stomach;
B.) grasping tissue of the stomach fundus using pivoting jaws extending from the endoscopic body and forming a tissue fold;
C.) extending a needle out of the endoscopic body with the needle piercing through the tissue fold;
D.) deploying a first tissue fastener from the endoscopic body on a first side of the tissue fold;
E.) withdrawing the needle from the tissue fold;
F.) deploying a second tissue fastener from the endoscopic body on a second side of the tissue fold, with the first and second tissue fasteners connected via suture;
G.) repeating steps B-F at least once;
H.) forming a first elongated invagination of tissue in a lateral direction across a lower region of the stomach adjacent to both the proximal antrum and the distal body; and
I.) securing the elongated invagination by deploying a plurality of tissue fasteners from the deployment mechanism through the first elongated invagination of tissue.
2 . The method of claim 1 with tissue fasteners deployed only at the stomach fundus and at the lower region of the stomach adjacent to both the proximal antrum and the distal body.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first elongated invagination forms a gastric sleeve.
4 . The method of claim 1 further including repeating steps B-F at least twice.
5 . The method of claim 1 further including pushing a launch tube of the endoscopic body distally to actuate the jaws.
6 . Surgical treatment of the stomach of a human patient, with the stomach having a fundus, an antrum and a distal body, comprising:
A.) advancing endoscopic body through a patient's mouth and esophagus and into the patient's stomach;
B.) forming a fundus tissue fold in the fundus;
C.) extending a needle out of the endoscopic body with the needle piercing through the fundus tissue fold;
D.) deploying a first tissue fastener from the endoscopic body on a first side of the fundus tissue fold;
E.) withdrawing the needle from fundus tissue fold;
F.) deploying a second tissue fastener from the endoscopic body on a second side of the fundus tissue fold, with the first and second tissue fasteners connected via suture;
G.) repeating steps B through F at least once to form and secure a plurality of fundus tissue folds;
H.) forming a body tissue fold extending between the distal body of the stomach and the antrum;
I.) deploying a tissue fastener from the endoscopic body to the secure the body tissue fold; and
J.) repeating steps H and I at least once to form and secure a plurality of body tissue folds arranged in a horizontal row.
7 . The method of claim 6 further including deploying no tissue fasteners in the stomach except at the fundus and between the distal body and the antrum.
8 . The method of claim 6 comprising repeating step J to form and secure 3 or 4 body tissue folds.
9 . A surgical treatment method of the stomach of a human patient, with the stomach having a fundus, an antrum and a body, comprising:
A.) advancing an endoscopic body through a patient's mouth and esophagus and into the patient's stomach;
B.) forming a fundus tissue fold in the fundus;
C.) extending a needle out of the endoscopic body with the needle piercing through the fundus tissue fold;
D.) deploying a first tissue fastener from the endoscopic body on a first side of the fundus tissue fold;
E.) withdrawing the needle from the fundus tissue fold;
F.) deploying a second tissue fastener from the endoscopic body on a second side of the fundus tissue fold;
G.) repeating steps B-E at least once to form and secure a plurality of fundus tissue folds;
H.) forming a tissue fold in the antrum;
I.) deploying a tissue fastener from the endoscopic body to secure the tissue fold in the antrum; and
J.) repeating steps H and I at least once to form and secure multiple tissue folds.
10 . The method of claim 9 further including leaving the stomach otherwise free of tissue fasteners.
11 . The method of claim 10 with the tissue fasteners deployed in step I forming a geometric pattern.