Patent ID: 8002731

Claim:
A composite structure comprising: a tubular structure having outer and inner surfaces and proximal and distal ends, said tubular structure being impervious or semi-permeable to digestive substances and chyme within the intestine; a transport structure at least a part of which is coincident with or connected to said outer surface, said transport structure extending to said distal end of said tubular structure; wherein the outer surface of the transport structure comprises a circumferential groove and an axial groove, wherein the axial groove extends between the circumferential groove and the distal end of the tubular structure, and wherein the axial groove is in fluid communication with the circumferential groove; at least one retainer structure connected to said tubular structure, and a side tube having one end which is connected to the outer surface of the tubular structure and an opposite end which is not connected to the outer surface of the tubular structure, wherein the side tube is in communication with said transport structure, wherein the side tube comprises one or more perforations.