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Disclosed is a swallowable self-expanding gastric space occupying device and related methods of making and using the device to control obesity. The device has a membrane through which gastric liquid can pass, wherein the membrane provides an enclosure volume separated from the gastric environment by

Disclosed is a swallowable self-expanding gastric space occupying device and related methods of making and using the device to control obesity. The device has a membrane through which gastric liquid can pass, wherein the membrane provides an enclosure volume separated from the gastric environment by the membrane. A plurality of self-expanding components is contained in the enclosure volume, so that the components expand in volume upon contact with the gastric fluid, thereby expanding the device from an unexpanded volume to an expanded volume. Composite membranes provide the ability to precisely control how and when the membrane degrades in the stomach, to release the self-expanding components from the enclosure and to ensure that the released pieces are sufficiently small to not obstruct any portion of the gastro-intestinal system.

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1. A swallowable self-expanding gastric space occupying device comprising: a membrane through which gastric fluid can pass, wherein said membrane provides an enclosure volume separated from the gastric environment by said membrane, and said membrane is a multilayer structure comprising a sheet of fi

1. A swallowable self-expanding gastric space occupying device comprising: a membrane through which gastric fluid can pass, wherein said membrane provides an enclosure volume separated from the gastric environment by said membrane, and said membrane is a multilayer structure comprising a sheet of first material that is partly covered with a second material, wherein said second material has a degradation rate in the gastric environment that is lower than the degradation rate of said first material in the gastric environment;a plurality of holes through said membrane for gastric fluid flow from the gastric environment to said enclosure volume, wherein said holes have a perimeter surface region comprising said first material having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface and said outer surface are not covered by said second material; anda plurality of self-expanding components, wherein said components are contained in said enclosure volume;wherein said components expand in volume upon contact with said gastric fluid, thereby expanding said device from an unexpanded volume to an expanded volume. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane maintains physical integrity in said gastric environment for 72 hours or greater. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said components are provided as a powder. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said components are not substantially biodegradable. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said components comprise a hydrogel material. 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said component is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: a. polyacrylamide;b. polyethelene oxide;c. poly AMPS;d. polyvinylalcohol;e. sodium polyacrylate; andf. acrylates. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane has at least a portion that is selected from the group consisting of: a. a mesh;b. a porous layer;c. a tortuous passage;d. a woven fabric;e. a welded material;f. a sutured material; andg. a tied material. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane is formed into a geometric shape that comprises invaginations to accommodate expansion of said components. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said device further comprises an encapsulation layer that surrounds said membrane. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane is elastic. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said expanded components has an individual volume that is sufficiently small to exit the stomach through the pyloric sphincter and that will not cause a small bowel obstruction. 12. The device of claim 1, wherein said device has an expanded volume that is greater than or equal to 20 cm3 and a shape that prevents said device from passing out of the stomach through the pyloric sphincter. 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the ratio of said expanded to unexpanded volume is selected from a range that is greater than 100 times and less than 250 times. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane maintains physical integrity in the stomach for a time range that is greater than or equal to one week and less than or equal to two months. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane comprises three layers, with said sheet of first material forming a middle layer having an inner-facing surface and an outer-facing surface, and said second material partly covers said inner-facing surface to form an inner layer and partly covers said outer-facing surface to form an outer layer. 16. A method of making a weight loss device, said method comprising: a. providing a plurality of self-expanding components, wherein said components expand upon contact with a gastric fluid and said components do not substantially degrade when in contact with said gastric fluid; andb. enveloping said plurality of self-expanding components with a membrane having a plurality of holes for gastric fluid flow through said membrane to contact said components and said membrane is capable of accommodating expansion of said components without rupture, and said membrane is a multilayer structure comprising a sheet of first material that is partly covered with a second material, wherein said second material has a degradation rate in the gastric environment that is lower than the degradation rate of said first material in the gastric environment, and wherein said holes have a perimeter surface region comprising said first material having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface and said outer surface are not covered by said second material. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said membrane is substantially inelastic and said enveloping step further comprises: a. providing invaginations in said enveloped membrane to accommodate volume expansion of said components upon contact with gastric fluid. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said membrane comprises a material that degrades or dissolves over time in the stomach, thereby releasing said components. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein upon substantial degradation of said first material said plurality of self-expanding compounds are released from within said envelope to the gastric environment during use. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said membrane is formed by: a. providing a plurality of structural elements made of said second material, wherein each of said structural elements has a size that is sufficiently small to pass from a gastric environment through a pyloric valve;b. connecting each of said structural elements to adjacent structural elements by said first material; andc. selectively degrading said first material, thereby releasing said plurality of structural elements and self-expanding components to the gastric environment, wherein said elements and components are capable of passing through the GI tract without substantial degradation. 21. The method of claim 16, wherein said membrane comprises three layers, with said sheet of first material forming a middle layer having an inner-facing surface and an outer-facing surface, and said second material partly covers said inner-facing surface to form an inner layer and partly covers said outer-facing surface to form an outer layer. 22. A method of promoting weight loss in a patient, said method comprising: a. positioning a plurality of self-expanding components in an internal volume formed by a membrane having a plurality of holes to form a self-expanding space occupying device, wherein said membrane is a multilayer structure comprising a sheet of first material that is partly covered with a second material, wherein said second material has a degradation rate in the gastric environment that is lower than the degradation rate of said first material in the gastric environment, and wherein said holes have a perimeter surface region comprising said first material having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface and said outer surface are not covered by said second material;b. orally ingesting said device so that said device is located in the patient's gastric space;c. contacting said components with gastric fluid that pass from the gastric environment through said membrane plurality of holes to said internal volume; andd. expanding said components upon contact with gastric fluid, thereby expanding the volume of said device in the gastric space to promote a feeling of fullness in said patient. 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising: a. degrading said membrane in said gastric space;b. releasing said plurality of self-expanded components into said gastric space, wherein each self-expanded component has an expanded volume and shape configured to prevent a small-bowel obstruction; andc. passing said plurality of self-expanded components out of the patient's body by passage through the gastro-intestinal system, wherein said components do not substantially degrade. 24. A swallowable self-expanding gastric space occupying device comprising: a composite membrane through which gastric fluid can pass, wherein said membrane provides an enclosure volume separated from the gastric environment by said membrane, said membrane comprising a first and a second material having different degradation characteristics, and said membrane is a multilayer structure comprising a sheet of said first material that is partly covered with said second material, wherein said second material has a degradation rate in the gastric environment that is lower than the degradation rate of said first material in the gastric environment; a plurality of holes through said composite membrane, for gastric fluid flow from the gastric environment to said enclosure volume, wherein said holes have a perimeter surface region comprising said first material having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface and said outer surface are not covered by said second material; anda plurality of self-expanding components, wherein said components are contained in said enclosure volume and said components expand in volume upon contact with said gastric fluid, thereby expanding said device from an unexpanded volume to an expanded volume wherein said first and second materials are operably connected to each other to provide said enclosure volume and controllable degradation of said membrane in said gastric environment. 25. The device of claim 24, wherein the composite membrane has at least a portion of said first material formed into a structure that is selected from the group consisting of: a. a suture;b. a stitch;c. a bond;d. a tie; ande. a protective layer that at least partially covers a mesh opening in said membranewherein said structure operably connects adjacent membrane pieces formed from said second material.