Claims
- 1. A method of implanting and securing a device into a food passageway in a patient, the device including at least one deflectable member, comprising:
delivering the device into the passageway with the member at least partially deflected to a first geometry; and releasing the member so that it conforms to a second geometry that is different from the first geometry.
- 2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the releasing comprises:
causing the member to penetrate a wall of the passageway.
- 3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein, when deflected to the first geometry, the member is resiliently biased to conform to the second geometry.
- 4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein, prior to the releasing, the member is substantially perpendicular to a wall of the passageway.
- 5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein the releasing causes the member to deflect from being substantially perpendicular to the wall of the passageway.
- 6. Apparatus for use in pulling in on a wall of a tissue passage comprising:
a first structure adapted for disposition in the tissue passage; and a plurality of metal anchors coupled to the first structure and adapted to penetrate the wall to secure the first structure to the wall, the anchors being further adapted to have a first geometrical shape during delivery into the passage, and a second, different geometrical shape upon deployment into the wall.
- 7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein the anchors are resiliently biased to change from the first geometrical shape to the second geometrical shape.
- 8. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein the anchors are further adapted to be more nearly perpendicular to the wall in the first geometrical shape than in the second geometrical shape.
- 9. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein the anchors are further adapted to be, in use, substantially contained in the wall in the second geometrical shape.
- 10. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein each of the anchors includes a sharply pointed, free end tip to facilitate penetration of the wall by the anchor.
- 11. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein each of the anchors includes a barb structure configured to resist removal of the anchor from the wall.
- 12. A method of pulling in on a wall of a tissue passage comprising:
delivering into the tissue passage a structure that includes a plurality of resilient anchors, the anchors having a first geometrical shape during the delivering; and deploying the anchors into the wall to secure the structure to the wall, the anchors changing to a second, different geometrical shape during the deploying.
- 13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein the anchors are resiliently biased to change from the first geometrical shape to the second geometrical shape.
- 14. The method defined in claim 12 wherein the anchors are more nearly perpendicular to the wall in the first geometrical shape than in the second geometrical shape.
- 15. The method defined in claim 12 wherein the anchors are substantially contained in the wall in the second geometrical shape.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/134,306, filed Apr. 26, 2002, which claims the benefit of copending U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Nos. 60/293,345, filed May 24, 2001, and 60/350,394, filed Jan. 22, 2002, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60350394 |
Jan 2002 |
US |
|
60293345 |
May 2001 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10134306 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Child |
10443507 |
May 2003 |
US |