DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ENDOLUMENAL TREATMENT OF OBESITY

1 . An endolumenal treatment method, comprising:

a) advancing a delivery catheter through a patient's mouth and esophagus and into the patient's stomach, the delivery catheter including a flexible tube having a needle at its distal end, with a first tissue anchor assembly within the flexible tube of the delivery catheter;

b) forming a first fundus tissue fold at the fundus of the stomach;

c) passing the needle of the delivery catheter through the first fundus tissue fold;

d) securing the first fundus tissue fold by deploying the first tissue anchor assembly from the delivery catheter through the first fundus tissue fold;

e) forming and securing a first plurality of additional fundus tissue folds in the tissue of the stomach fundus;

f) forming a first elongated invagination of tissue in the body region of the stomach extending from the fundus toward the antrum, the first elongated invagination including a serosa-to-serosa contact of tissue on the peritoneal surface of the stomach body region; and

g) deploying a plurality of tissue anchor assemblies from the delivery catheter through the first elongated invagination of tissue to thereby secure the tissue.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising performing step E by moving from the first fundus tissue fold toward the body region of the stomach, with all of the fundus tissue folds entirely in the stomach fundus.

3 . The method of claim 1 with each of the tissue anchor assemblies including a T-bar or a strutted anchor within a mesh pouch.

4 . The endolumenal treatment method of claim 1 wherein the first elongated invagination is located substantially at a posterior portion of the fundus.

5 . The endolumenal treatment method of claim 1 wherein the first elongated invagination is located substantially on the lateral wall of the fundus.

6 . The endolumenal treatment method of claim 1 further comprising deploying a plurality of tissue anchor assemblies from the delivery catheter through a second elongated invagination of tissue formed in the body region of the stomach.

7 . The endolumenal treatment method of claim 6 comprising forming a plurality of additional tissue folds substantially aligned in one or more rows extending longitudinally from the fundus toward the antrum or body region of the stomach.

8 . The endolumenal treatment method of claim 7 wherein the first elongated invagination comprises a substantially continuous line of contact of serosal tissue on the peritoneal surface of the stomach extending substantially from the fundus to the antrum.

9 . A method for treating a gastric emptying disorder, comprising:

a) advancing a delivery catheter through a patient's mouth and esophagus and into the patient's stomach;

b) forming a tissue fold in the tissue of the stomach;

c) passing the needle through the tissue fold;

d) deploying a first tissue anchor assembly from the needle on a distal side of the tissue fold;

e) withdrawing the needle back through the tissue fold;

f) deploying a second tissue anchor assembly from the needle on a proximal side of the tissue fold, with the second tissue anchor assembly linked to the first tissue anchor assembly by a suture;

g) securing the second tissue anchor assembly in place to form a substantially permanent plication in the stomach;

h) with the plication altering the gastric emptying;

i) forming additional plications in the stomach by repeating at least steps b-g, including forming plications in the fundus; and

j) forming an obstacle to movement of food through the stomach via the plications, with the obstacle delaying the release of gut hormones and thereby preventing post-parandial hypotension.

10 . A method for treating hypertension, comprising:

a) advancing a delivery catheter through a patient's mouth and esophagus and into the patient's stomach;

b) forming a tissue fold in the tissue of the stomach fundus;

c) passing the needle through the tissue fold;

d) deploying a first tissue anchor assembly from the needle on a distal side of the tissue fold;

e) withdrawing the needle back through the tissue fold;

f) deploying a second tissue anchor assembly from the needle on a proximal side of the tissue fold, with the second tissue anchor assembly linked to the first tissue anchor assembly by a suture; and

g) securing the second tissue anchor assembly in place to form a substantially permanent plication in the fundus;

h) repeating steps b-g to form additional plications in the fundus with the plications causing a reduction in the patient's blood pressure.