Ideas for creating your own LES valve

After watching www.ted.com/talks/tal_golesworthy_how_i_repaired_my_own_heart.html and thinking for a bit, it does feel like a valve (Like LES) should be a straightforward concept.

May be it is because I am an engineer, but am I alone in wondering why in 2012 we can't make a valve ? No disrespect, but Fundo feels like an OVERKILL for a simple valve, doesn't it ?

WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF AN IDEAL EXTERNAL VALVE (realistic of course) ?

My idea is a post-implant pressure adjustable device operated by a remote control: open it when you need to eat/burp, close otherwise. In time, it can be improved so that close/open are triggered based on esophageal contractions.

I often press on my stomach to try and close off the valve. Sometimes it seems like it works haha doubt it though

Hi Bill,

Good point, but it can be worked around.

The problem with today's valves are they are not pressure adjustable post implant (LINX) or surgery (Nissen). So, surgery either works or doesn't work.

I think a device that has a fixed pressure (like LINX) with the ability to add/decrease to that pressure to a certain extent with a click will be ideal.

Imagine a Ring shaped device with (a) pressure sensors above and below the LES (b) ability to increase/decrease the radius (valve pressure) by a controller.

I would imagine a few days of pressure data is good enough to tune the control logic.

GH

I like your idea, and also find it very frustrating that we all continue to suffer in this day and age, when technology is supposedly at its optimum, why has such a valve (or similar product) not been created?

I thought Endostim was a step towards this, perhaps I am misinformed. Perhaps you could get your engineers hat on and see what you could come up with, as no one else in the medical community seems remotely interested.

Perhaps if we all pitch in ideas, something could finally be created. As they say, a great answer always starts with a good question.

 

gerd-hater,

I am informed that Endostim is performing its first 3 operations in the UK in January 2013. I will be following this closely, so fingers crossed it works.

The Endostim seems to "assume" (for lack of a better term) that the anatomy of the LES is OK, just that it needs to stay shut. Like to prevent TLESRs.

Like if someone had a warped door that lets lots of cold air in, putting a bigger lock on that door is not going to fix the issue which is that the structure of the door is bad.

Unless the Endostim device recruits some parts of the LES that are currently not used to prevent reflux, I think it would only work for patients with lots of TLESRs.

GC1pink, thanks for the post about endostims' first three implants in the UK.

Is there any further info on this, or a link?