Implantable device for directional control of flow within the anatomic tracts of the body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9566145-B2
Application number	US-201313955396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2013
Priority date	Jul 31, 2012
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

The systems and methods described herein related generally to a device that enables the directional control of flow through an anatomical tract of the body. More particularly, the device described herein includes a valve from a plurality of projections. In some implementations, the projections are configured as flaps, posts, or any combination thereof. In some implementations, the device is implanted into a patient's esophagus to prevent gastroesophageal reflux disease. The plurality of projections allow flow into a patient's stomach while substantially preventing a backflow of undesired fluids from the patient's stomach to the patient's esophagus.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An implantable device for a directional control of flow through an anatomic tract of a body, the device comprising:
a biocompatible valve with a substantially cylindrical housing sized to fit the anatomic tract, the valve further comprising:
a first set of flaps comprising a plurality of microstructures formed on a surface of the first set of flaps and configured to impede a first flow of fluid in a first direction, the first set of flaps disposed circumferentially around an interior wall of the housing, wherein a distal end of each of the flaps in the first set of flaps project a first distance towards a center of the housing at a first angle relative to the interior wall of the housing; and
a second set of flaps disposed circumferentially around the interior wall of the housing, wherein a distal end of each of the flaps in the second set of flaps project a second distance towards the center of the housing at a second angle relative to the interior wall of the housing.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second set of flaps is rotationally offset from the first set of flaps.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second angle is equal to the first angle.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured such that when implanted, the housing includes a stomach-facing end and a mouth-facing end, and the first angle is less than 90 degrees with the distal ends of each of the flaps in the first set of flaps directed towards the stomach-facing end of the housing.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microstructures are between about 100 μm and about 1 mm long.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microstructures are only formed on portions of a bottom surface of the first set of flaps.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the valve is configured to substantially impede the first flow of fluid in a first direction but allows a second flow of fluid in a second direction.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first set of flaps are at least partially flexible, and are configured to, in response to a force that exceeds a threshold, deform towards a mouth-facing end of the housing to allow passage of fluid in the first direction.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an anchoring system to reversibly anchor the device to the anatomic tract.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the anatomic tract is an esophagus.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein a height of the device is between about 1 cm and about 4 cm and a width of the device is between about 2 cm and about 3 cm.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of flaps and the second set of flaps each have a plurality of microstructures formed thereon.

Assignees

• Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc
• Brigham & Womens Hospital Inc

Inventors

• Trainor Christopher V
• Tavakkoli Ali
• Ishizuka Jeffrey
• Traviglia Daniel F
• Mcfarland William

Classifications

• A61F2/04 Primary

  Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts (A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95) · CPC title

• A61F2/24

  Heart valves {; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body} · CPC title

• B29C33/424

  Moulding surfaces provided with means for marking or patterning (for injection moulding B29C45/372) · CPC title

• A61F2002/044

  Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets · CPC title

• A61F2002/0081

  directly machined on the prosthetic surface, e.g. holes, grooves (A61F2/30771 takes precedence) · CPC title