Intra-gastric fastening devices are disclosed herein. Expandable devices
that are inserted into the stomach of the patient are maintained within
by anchoring or otherwise fixing the expandable devices to the stomach
walls. Such expandable devices, like inflatable balloons, have tethering
regions for attachment to the one or more fasteners which can be
configured to extend at least partially through one or several folds of
the patient's stomach wall. The fasteners are thus affixed to the stomach
walls by deploying the fasteners and manipulating the tissue walls
entirely from the inside organ. Such fasteners can be formed in a variety
of configurations, e.g., helical, elongate, ring, clamp, and they can be
configured to be non-piercing. Alternatively, sutures can be used to wrap
around or through a tissue fold for tethering the expandable devices.
Non-piercing biased clamps can also be used to tether the device within
the stomach.