Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140018767 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ACTIVATING BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE WITH TARGETED SUBSTANCE DELIVERY - Methods and devices are provided for activating brown adipose tissue with targeted substance delivery. Generally, the methods and devices can activate BAT to increase thermogenesis, e.g., increase heat production in the patient, which over time can lead to weight loss and/or improved metabolic function. In one embodiment, a chemical configured to stimulate nerves that activate the BAT and/or to stimulate brown adipocytes directly can be delivered to a patient, thereby increasing thermogenesis in the BAT and inducing weight loss and/or improved metabolic function through energy expenditure. The chemical can be delivered to the patient locally and/or systemically to stimulate the nerves and/or the brown adipocytes. | 01-16-2014 |
20140088487 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ACTIVATING BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE WITH LIGHT - Methods and devices are provided for activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) with light. Generally, the methods and devices can activate BAT to increase thermogenesis, e.g., increase heat production in the patient, which over time can lead to weight loss and/or improved metabolic function. In one embodiment, a medical device is provided that activates BAT by using light to stimulate nerves that activate the BAT and/or to stimulate brown adipocytes directly, thereby increasing thermogenesis in the BAT and inducing weight loss and/or improved metabolic function through energy expenditure. The light can be configured to directly or indirectly stimulate the nerves and/or the brown adipocytes. The light can be configured to indirectly stimulate the nerves and/or the brown adipocytes by activating a light activatable medium administered to a patient and configured to respond to the light to cause activation of the brown adipose tissue. | 03-27-2014 |
20140151435 | Surgical Device with Tandem Fasteners - A surgical fastener applier having a handle and a fastener housing extending from the handle. The housing contains at least one anvil movable within the staple housing, the anvil has a proximal position and a distal position. When in the distal position a distal end of the anvil extends distal to the distal end of the staple housing. The housing contains a plurality of surgical fasteners each of which in the shape of a loop. At least one of the fasteners is placed around a portion of the anvil when in the distal position. The applier has a first mechanism for moving the anvil distally after a fastener has been deployed, and a second mechanism for moving the anvil distally after a fastener has been deployed. The second means is independent of the first means. | 06-05-2014 |
20140155807 | INTESTINAL BRAKE INDUCING INTRALUMINAL THERAPEUTIC SUBSTANCE ELUTING DEVICES AND METHODS - Methods and devices create an intestinal braking effect, are non-invasive or minimally invasive, and may be reversible. These methods and devices are accomplished via stabilized implantable systems, and ingestible pills. In one embodiment, the implantable system comprises a device delivering a therapeutic substance to a target location within the gastrointestinal tract of a patient in order to initiate an intestinal braking effect which would promote sensations of satiety and stimulate excess weight loss for the patient. | 06-05-2014 |
20140199278 | BROWN ADIPOCYTE MODIFICATION - Methods and therapeutics are provided for treating metabolic disorders by increasing activation of brown adipose tissue. Generally, the methods and therapeutics can increase activation of brown adipose tissue to increase energy expenditure and induce weight loss. In one embodiment, a method for increasing activation of brown adipose tissue includes modifying brown adipocytes to express a gene that activates brown adipocytes, such as uncoupling protein 1. In another embodiment, a method for increasing brown adipose tissue activation includes increasing the number of brown adipocytes. This can be accomplished by inducing proliferation of adipocytes in vivo or expanding adipocytes ex vivo, transplanting adipocytes into brown adipose tissue depots or elsewhere and inducing differentiation of adipocyte progenitor cells, such as MSCs, adipocyte progenitor cells, pre-adipocytes and adipocyte precursor cells. | 07-17-2014 |
20150048141 | ENDOLUMINAL STAPLER WITH ROTATING WHEEL CAM FOR MULTI-STAPLE FIRING - A surgical stapler has a body, a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, and an end effector coupled with a distal end of the shaft assembly. The end effector has a stapling head assembly, an anvil, and a vacuum port. The vacuum port is operable to draw tissue between the stapling head assembly and the anvil. The anvil is operable to move toward and away from the stapling head assembly to thereby capture the tissue drawn between the stapling head assembly and the anvil. The stapling head assembly comprises a plurality of wheel assemblies and staple cartridges. At least one wheel assembly is operable to rotate to thereby move the anvil toward and away from the body. The remaining wheel assemblies are operable to rotate to thereby drive staples through the captured tissue. The body includes user input features operable to drive the wheel assemblies. | 02-19-2015 |
20150065939 | CONFORMING ANCHOR FOR DUODENAL BARRIER - An apparatus comprises a sleeve, a seal, and an anchor assembly. The sleeve is flexible and non-permeable and is configured to fit in a duodenum. The seal is positioned at the proximal end of the sleeve and is configured to seal the proximal end of the sleeve against the stomach mucosa, the pylorus, or the duodenum mucosa. The anchor assembly comprises a pair of atraumatic anchor ends and a resilient member positioned between the anchor ends. At least a portion of the resilient member extends along at least a portion of the length of the sleeve. The resilient member is configured to bias the anchor ends generally toward each other, to thereby substantially anchor the sleeve in the duodenum. The sleeve is configured to prevent chyme from contacting the mucosa of the duodenum; and to prevent enzymes excreted in the duodenum from mixing with chyme in the duodenum. | 03-05-2015 |
20150119849 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ACTIVATING BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE WITH COOLING - Methods and devices are provided for activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) with cooling. Generally, the methods and devices can activate BAT to increase thermogenesis, e.g., increase heat production in the patient, which over time can lead to weight loss and/or improved metabolic function. In one embodiment, a medical device is provided that activates BAT by cooling tissue having a high density of cold sensitive thermoreceptors and/or by cooling BAT depots directly, thereby increasing thermogenesis in the BAT and inducing weight loss and/or improved metabolic function through energy expenditure. | 04-30-2015 |