Patent ID: 11957349
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 17:
18. An apparatus comprising:
(a) a plurality of links, wherein each link of the plurality of links defines a chord length; and
(b) a plurality of beads interconnected together using the plurality of links and configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement, wherein each bead of the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet configured to emit a magnetic field, wherein the annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient, wherein the loop is configured to move between a contracted configuration where adjacent beads of the plurality of beads are in contact, and an expanded configuration where the adjacent beads are spaced apart, 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, wherein the magnets are configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration,
wherein adjacent magnetic fields of adjacent magnets of the adjacent beads are configured to interact until separated past a minimum threshold in response to the annular arrangement moving from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration, wherein the minimum threshold is based on the chord length of the links,
wherein the minimum threshold defines a maximum allowable expansion of the annular arrangement while maintaining the magnetic fields of the adjacent magnets,
wherein a ratio defined by at least one of a shape or an intensity of the adjacent magnetic fields in the expanded configuration relative to at least one of the shape or strength of the adjacent magnetic fields in the contracted configuration is configured to determine the maximum allowable expansion.