초록 ▼

A system for placing an implant in the body includes an elongated member having at least one inner lumen extending from a proximal end portion of the member to an opening in a distal end portion of the member. At least one compressible implant is in the inner lumen of the member. The implant optiona

A system for placing an implant in the body includes an elongated member having at least one inner lumen extending from a proximal end portion of the member to an opening in a distal end portion of the member. At least one compressible implant is in the inner lumen of the member. The implant optionally includes anchor members projecting from its outer surface to limit migration of the implant in the body. Structure is provided to push the implant through the opening in the distal end portion of the member. The implant is placed between layers of body tissue to bulk the tissue. In one of the disclosed methods, the system is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by placing the implant between layers of body tissue at or near the gastro-esophageal junction.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esophageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising an oblong shape having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed config

What is claimed is: 1. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esophageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising an oblong shape having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the body comprises a flexible outer material and a filling material. 2. The bulking device of claim 1, wherein the body comprises material including at least one of open cell foam and closed cell foam. 3. The bulking device of claim 1, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body. 4. The bulking device of claim 3, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a projection having one of a pointed end and a rounded end. 5. The bulking device of claim 3, wherein the at least one anchor member is configured to interconnect with at least one anchor member associated with another bulking device in the patient. 6. The bulking device of claim 3, wherein the at least one anchor member is configured to engage tissue. 7. The bulking device of claim 1, wherein the coating increases the coefficient of friction of the bulking device. 8. The bulking device of claim 1, wherein the body has a length of about 0.1 inches to about 0.25 inches. 9. The bulking device of claim 1, wherein the expanded configuration includes a predetermined shape. 10. The bulking device of claim 1, wherein the body has a predetermined shape. 11. The bulking device of claim 1, wherein the body is configured for implantation in the esophagus below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter. 12. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esophageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising an oblong shape having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the body comprises radiopaque material. 13. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esophageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising an oblong shape having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a hook-shaped projection. 14. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esophageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising an oblong shape having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a bioabsorbable material. 15. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esophageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising an oblong shape having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises discontinuities on a surface of the body. 16. The bulking device of claim 15, wherein the discontinuities comprise at least one of ridges and grooves. 17. The bulking device of claim 16, wherein the at least one of ridges and grooves are oriented in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction. 18. The bulking device of claim 15, wherein the body comprises a porous surface permitting cellular ingrowth. 19. An esophageal bulking device for implantation below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter, comprising: a flexible oblong-shaped body having a preformed elongate structure with a proximal end and a distal end, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, and wherein the body comprises radiopaque material. 20. An esophageal bulking device as in claim 19, wherein the outer surface allows tissue ingrowth from adjacent tissue in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter. 21. The esophageal bulking device of claim 20, wherein the outer surface comprises a porous surface. 22. The esophageal bulking device of claim 20, wherein the flexible body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicone and urethane. 23. The esophageal bulking device of claim 20, wherein the flexible body comprises a foam. 24. The esophageal bulking device of claim 20, wherein the outer surface has a pore size sufficient to permit ingrowth of tissue. 25. The esophageal bulking device of claim 20, wherein the outer surface and flexible body comprise a unitary structure. 26. The esophageal bulking device of claim 20, wherein the flexible body comprises at least two components connected together. 27. The esophageal bulking device of claim 20, wherein the flexible body comprises a fluid. 28. The esophageal bulking device of claim 19, wherein the preformed elongate structure includes blunt, atraumatic edges. 29. An esophageal bulking device, comprising: a body having a predetermined oblong shape with a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, the body being configured to be implanted in the esophagus below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the body comprises a flexible outer material and a filling material. 30. The bulking device of claim 29, wherein the body comprises material including at least one of open cell foam and closed cell foam. 31. The bulking device of claim 29, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body. 32. The bulking device of claim 31, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a projection having one of a pointed end and a rounded end. 33. The bulking device of claim 31, wherein the at least one anchor member is configured to interconnect with at least one anchor member associated with another bulking device in the esophagus. 34. The bulking device of claim 31, wherein the at least one anchor member is configured to engage tissue in the esophagus. 35. The bulking device of claim 29, wherein the coating increases the coefficient of friction of the bulking device. 36. The bulking device of claim 29, wherein the body has a length of about 0.1 inches to about 0.25 inches. 37. The bulking device of claim 29, wherein the body comprises a porous surface permitting cellular ingrowth. 38. An esophageal bulking device, comprising: a body having a predetermined oblong shape with a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, the body being configured to be implanted in the esophagus below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, and wherein the body comprises radiopaque material. 39. An esophageal bulking device, comprising: a body having a predetermined oblong shape with a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, the body being configured to be implanted in the esophagus below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body, and wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a hook-shaped projection. 40. An esophageal bulking device, comprising: a body having a predetermined oblong shape with a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, the body being configured to be implanted in the esophagus below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body, and wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a bioabsorbable material. 41. An esophageal bulking device, comprising: a body having a predetermined oblong shape with a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, the body being configured to be implanted in the esophagus below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter, and an anchoring mechanism for limiting migration, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body, and wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises discontinuities on a surface of the body. 42. The bulking device of claim 41, wherein the discontinuities comprise at least one of ridges and grooves. 43. The bulking device of claim 42, wherein the at least one of ridges and grooves are oriented in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction. 44. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esophageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, and a structure for limiting migration of the bulking device, the structure for limiting migration comprising at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body, wherein the body comprises closed cell foam material, wherein the body comprises radiopaque material, and wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a hook-shaped projection. 45. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the body comprises a flexible outer material and a fluid filling material. 46. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the body has one of a substantially cylindrical shape and a substantially spherical shape. 47. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a projection having one of a pointed end and a rounded end. 48. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the at least one anchor member is configured to interconnect with at least one anchor member associated with another bulking device in the patient. 49. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the at least one anchor member is configured to engage tissue. 50. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the structure for limiting migration comprises a coating on an outer surface of the body that increases the coefficient of friction of the bulking device. 51. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the structure for limiting migration comprises discontinuities on a surface of the body. 52. The bulking device of claim 51, wherein the discontinuities comprise at least one of ridges and grooves. 53. The bulking device of claim 52, wherein the at least one of ridges and grooves are oriented in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction. 54. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the body has a length of about 0.1 inches to about 0.25 inches. 55. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the body has a predetermined shape. 56. The bulking device of claim 44, wherein the body is configured for implantation in the esophagus below the mucosa in the vicinity of the lower esophageal sphincter. 57. An esophageal bulking device configured to be implanted in a patient to bulk esphageal tissue, comprising: a body comprising compressible material allowing the body to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, and a structure for limiting migration of the bulking device, the structure for limiting migration comprising at least one anchor member associated with a surface of the body, wherein the body comprises closed cell foam material, and wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a bioabsorbable material.