Patent ID: 8211128

Claim:
A combined template, leak and integrity testing apparatus for sizing and forming a gastric pouch and testing integrity of a newly-formed gastric pouch during stomach reduction surgery comprising: a gastric tube selectively sealable at a proximal end thereof, said gastric tube configured to extend from within a stomach of a patient at a distal end and out through a patient's mouth at a proximal end, said distal end of said gastric tube having a plurality of openings, a balloon attached to said gastric tube proximate to said distal end of said gastric tube, said balloon inflatable to serve as a template for forming a gastric pouch, a port at said proximal end of said tube for receiving an inflating medium for said balloon, and a balloon tube communicating between said port and said balloon, a suction coupling mounted to the proximal end of said gastric tube, said suction coupling and said gastric tube configured to communicate with at least some of said openings to an interior of a stomach of a patient, a pressure tube configured to be coupled to a pressure-developing device and respective pressure monitor at said proximal end of said gastric tube, said pressure tube communicating with at least one of said openings in said distal end of said gastric tube, whereby in use said balloon is inflated and a source of suction is applied to a stomach to withdraw contents therefrom and deflate the stomach around an inflated said balloon to define size of a gastric pouch, and after formation of the gastric pouch is completed, pressure is applied to an inside of the gastric pouch by said pressure-developing device to pressurize a newly-formed gastric pouch so that integrity thereof may be determined.