The invention relates to improved means for preventing eversion and
subsequent obstruction of thin-walled, floppy gastrointestinal liners
implanted in the digestive tract of an animal. The implantable devices
include an anchor adapted for attachment within a natural body lumen and
a thin-walled, floppy sleeve open at both ends and defining a lumen
therebetween. A substantial length of the sleeve has material
characteristics that result in the sleeve being prone to eversion in the
presence of retrograde pressures. Exemplary eversion-resistant features
provide an increased stiffness and/or an increased friction coefficient
between the anchor and the proximal end of the sleeve to resist eversion.
In some embodiments, the eversion-resistant feature includes an
anti-buckling element, such as a wire coupled along the substantial
length of the sleeve.