Endoscopic tools for the removal of balloon-like intragastric devices

摘要

A mechanism for removing a fluid-filled object such as an intragastric balloon from a patient. The apparatus includes a delivery tube having a lumen and a retrieval tool able to slide within the lumen that can both puncture and grasp the intragastric balloon. The retrieval tool may have sharpened graspers with either a sharp tip and/or knife-like edges. Alternatively, the delivery tube itself may have sharpened cutting blades that deploy outward to puncture the intragastric balloon. One embodiment utilizes a suction cup tip on the delivery sheath and a sharpened puncture rod that extends past the distal tip of the lumen, for rapid deflation of a balloon. Various embodiments hasten the deflation process and simplify the manipulation required by the surgeon.

主权项

1. A system for retrieving an intragastric balloon, comprising:
an elongated delivery tube having a lumen; a balloon retrieval tool disposed and able to slide within the delivery tube lumen, the retrieval tool having a pair of identical grasping arms formed of a flexible material, wherein a distal segment of each grasping arm diverges away from the other grasping arm when expelled from the delivery tube, each arm terminates in a hook that is bent inward toward the hook of the other arm, wherein the hooks are sharpened on their outer curvatures to enable piercing an intragastric balloon when pushed into the side thereof, and wherein the tips of the hooks are relatively dull to facilitate grasping and pulling the deflated balloon rather than piercing of it.