Patent ID: 11957353
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus comprising:
(a) at least one link; and
(b) a plurality of beads joined using the at least one link and configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement, wherein the annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient, wherein the annular arrangement is configured to move between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the loop in the contracted configuration is configured to prevent fluid flow through the anatomical structure, wherein the loop in the expanded configuration is configured to permit fluid flow through the anatomical structure, each bead of the plurality of beads comprising:
(i) a housing,
(ii) a magnet contained within the housing, wherein the magnet is configured to emit a magnetic field, wherein the magnets of the plurality of beads are configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration, and
(iii) a secondary element that is different from the magnet, wherein the secondary element contained within the housing and is configured to increase the magnetic field of the magnet.