Patent ID: 8172857

Claim:
A method of treating obesity by endoscopically reducing the size of a stomach having a lesser curvature, a greater curvature and opposing first and second faces extending between the lesser curvature and the greater curvature, the first face being one of the anterior face and the posterior face of the stomach and the second face being the other of the anterior face and the posterior face, the method consisting of: joining the first and second faces together to close the greater curvature of the stomach and form a reduced stomach, the first and second faces being joined by: (a) transorally inserting a suturing device into the stomach; (b) sewing a first stitch on the first face of the stomach at a location that is spaced in a downward direction away from the gastric esophagus joint; (c) after act (b), sewing a second stitch on the first face of the stomach at a location that is spaced in a downward direction away from the first stitch; (d) after act (c), sewing a plurality of stitches in an alternating manner on the first and second faces of the stomach and in an upward direction toward the gastric esophagus joint, act (d) concluding with sewing a stitch on the second face of the stomach at a location opposite the first stitch, wherein the stitches are formed with a continuous suture and acts (b) to (d) occur during a single intubation of the suturing device; (e) withdrawing the suturing device from the stomach; (f) drawing the plurality of stitches to bring together the first and second faces and close the greater curvature of the stomach to reduce the size of the stomach approximately 50% to 60% and form the reduced stomach; and (g) securing ends of the suture.