| abstract |
The present invention provides systems and methods for treating and controlling obesity and/or type II diabetes. In one aspect of the invention, a delivery system for deploying an implant to a target region in the GI tract of a patient comprises an enclosure and an introducer. The enclosure houses at least a portion of the implant and comprises a material designed to dissolve within the patient. The introducer is coupled to the enclosure and configured for advancing the enclosure (and the implant housed therein) through an esophagus and into a stomach of the patient. In a preferred embodiment, the enclosure comprises a biocompatible material that will dissolve in less than one hour, preferably less than 30 minutes, such as gelatin or the like. |