Intragastric device

1. A device for assisting a patient in swallowing an intragastric balloon, comprising:

an elongate tube comprising a body and an elongate slit, the body having a through-bore extending from a first orifice of the elongate tube to a second orifice of the elongate tube, wherein the elongate slit extends through the body from the first orifice to the second orifice;

a gastric balloon assembly reversibly attached to the second orifice, the gastric balloon assembly comprising an inflation catheter engaged with a gastric balloon in a capsule and extending out of the first orifice, wherein the elongate slit is sized and shaped for the inflation catheter to pass therethrough, and wherein the gastric balloon assembly is attached to the first orifice by a press-fit;

a handle member; and

an engagement subassembly comprising a female portion and a male portion, wherein the engagement subassembly is configured and arranged for threading the inflation catheter into and engaging the elongate tube.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a biocompatible polymer.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the body is flexible.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate tube is adapted to be detached from the gastric balloon assembly by tugging on the tubing.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate tube is adapted to be detached from the gastric balloon assembly by an automatic ejection mechanism actuated by an internal pressure of the gastric balloon in an inflated state.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the female portion comprises a female body sized and shaped to be rotatably received within an engagement chamber of an engagement portion of the engagement subassembly.

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the female body comprises a longitudinally extending chamber and a longitudinal guide structure joined with a perpendicular guide structure, wherein the longitudinally extending chamber extends from a front opening and a rear opening of the female body.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the female body includes coaxially aligned forward, middle and rear portions, and a separating extension which extends inwardly from a rear end of a middle portion of the of the longitudinally extending chamber.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the elongate tube comprises an engagement notch adapted to engage the separating extension and guide the separating extension into the elongate slit.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the elongate tube is adapted to be received into a through-bore of the engagement subassembly and encounter the separating extension when pushed forwardly into a rear portion of the longitudinally extending chamber.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the elongate tube is adapted to be rotated in the through-bore of the engagement subassembly until the elongate slit engages the separating extension, and is adapted to be inserted through the longitudinally extending chamber whereby the separating extension progressively pushes the elongate slit into an opened position for receiving the inflation catheter therein.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the male portion is adapted to be received into and rotatably engage with the female portion.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the male portion comprises a male body with an external portion joined with an internal portion, wherein the external portion extends longitudinally out of the engagement subassembly so as to be actuatable or adjustable by an operator.

14. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the internal portion of the male portion is sized and shaped to be rotatably received into and interlock with the forward and middle portions of the female portion.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the internal portion comprises a plurality of beams that are contoured or otherwise sized and shaped to snap into and interlock with the middle portion of the female portion.

16. The device according to claim 15 , wherein the internal portion comprises a guide post that extends outwardly from one of the plurality of beams and that is sized and shaped to be sliding engaged with a perpendicular guide structure of the female portion, wherein when an engagement portion of the female portion is in an opened configuration, the guide post is engaged with a rear wall of the perpendicular guide structure, wherein when the engagement portion is in an closed configuration, the guide post is engaged with a longitudinal guide structure of the female portion, and wherein the male portion is adapted to be rotated about a longitudinal axis with respect to female portion.

17. The device according to claim 16 , wherein the male body comprises a longitudinally extending through-bore with a longitudinally running and inwardly extending zipper wedge and a longitudinally extending guide channel, wherein when the guide post is in an opened position, the longitudinal guide structure and the guide channel are vertically aligned with one another, such that a first end of the inflation catheter can be inserted through both the longitudinal guide structure and the guide channel and into the through-bore.

18. A method for assisting a patient in swallowing a gastric balloon assembly, comprising:

providing the device of claim 1 ;

holding the handle member;

placing the capsule at a back of a patient's throat;

detaching the capsule from a first end of the elongate tube;

withdrawing the elongate tube from a mouth of the patient; and

passing the inflation catheter of the gastric balloon assembly through the elongate slit of the elongate tube.