Granted Patent B2

US 8,968,270 · App. 13/373,999 · Granted Mar 3, 2015

Inventors: Jonathan Kagan (Hopkins, MN); Mitchell Dann (Wilson, WY); Lee Guterman (Amherst, NY); Joshua Butters (Chandler, AZ); Paul Swain (London, GB); T. Wade Fallin (Hyde Park, UT); Thomas Baldwin (Amalga, UT)

Assignee: ValenTx, Inc.

A61B17/0644A61B17/00234A61B17/0401A61B17/0482A61B17/0487A61B17/0643A61B17/1114A61B17/12A61F2/04A61F5/0076A61F5/0086A61B17/29A61B2017/00349A61B2017/00827A61B2017/0404A61B2017/0406A61B2017/0409A61B2017/0417A61B2017/0419A61B2017/0454A61B2017/0458A61B2017/0464A61B2017/0472A61B2017/0496A61B2017/06052A61B2017/0647A61B2017/0649A61F2002/044

Abstract

Claims (18)

1. A method of adjusting therapy in a patient, comprising the steps of:

identifying a patient with an implanted first gastrointestinal bypass tube, the first bypass tube releasably connected to a support which is attached to tissue in the vicinity of the gastroesophageal junction;

separating the first bypass tube from the support and removing the first bypass tube from the patient after separating the first bypass tube from the support;

providing a second bypass tube, wherein the second bypass tube is different from the first bypass tube; and

attaching the second bypass tube to the support.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass tube is less permeable than the first bypass tube.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass tube is more permeable than the first bypass tube.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass tube comprises a coating.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the coating is on the exterior of the second bypass tube.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the coating is on the interior of the second bypass tube.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a low friction material.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the low friction material is a lubricious material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass tube comprises a drug coating.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass tube comprises a constant diameter.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass tube comprises a variable diameter.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass sleeve comprises a biodegradable material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second bypass sleeve comprises a series of segments that biodegrade sequentially.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distal portion of the second bypass sleeve degrades more rapidly than a proximal portion of the second bypass sleeve.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (16)