Suppressing appetite is the goal of the new device that has just been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, the equipment requires another five years of testing before it can be used. Check how it is supposed to work.
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Mode of action
The device is supposed to work on the sending principle electrical pulsesthat are intended to affect the vagus nerve. It is the longest cranial nerve in the autonomic nervous system. It can be divided into 4 parts: head, cervical, thoracic and abdominal. He is responsible, inter alia, for digestion, appetite and relaxation of the body. No wonder that this nerve was set as the point of action by the creators of the device, the EnteroMedics company. They are placed under the skin on the abdomen, near the gland, i.e. the place where it connects with the esophagus. The manufacturer indicates that the Maestro Rechargeable System disrupts hunger signals using a technology called VBLOC. Dr. Scott Shikora, who works with this device, notes:
By blocking signals along the nerves that connect the brain and stomach, VBLOC reduces the feeling of hunger and induces an earlier feeling of fullness, which can help obese people reduce their caloric intake and promote safe, healthy weight reduction.
However, note that this will not stop overeating which is not associated with appetite. Even if you eat when you don’t feel hungry, this equipment will not help reduce it.
Tests and research
EnteroMedics has shown that the device is safe to use. She conducted tests with a control group. They showed that people with implanted braces lost approx 8,5 percent morej than those that had an implanted device that merely imitated a brace. This is not a result that will satisfy the FDA (Federal Drug Administration). According to them, the result should be closer to 10 percent. Nevertheless, they allowed the Maestro to be used. However, before it is used in patients, it must undergo a five-year study on a group of at least 100 people. During this time, the manufacturer is expected to collect further data on safety, effectiveness and side effects. FDA adds:
Serious side effects reported in clinical trials include nausea, pain in the placement side, vomiting, and surgical complications. Other side effects include pain, heartburn, difficulty swallowing, belching, mild nausea, and chest pain.
FDA recommendations
The Maestro is the first FDA-approved anti-obesity device since 2007. The agency also points out that its use is limited to people over 18 years of agewho have failed to lose weight with weight loss programs. Their body mass index must be within limits BMI 35-45 and is to be associated with at least one obesity-related disease such as, for example, type II diabetes. It will also not be equipment that can be purchased in the store. An experienced doctor will ‘put on’ the device. The control will look similar to the currently used equipment such as a stomach strap or a balloon. It is worth noting that other appetite suppressants have been approved for use in some European countries and Canada for some time.
Main photo is from: Michael Stern / Foter / CC BY-SA
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