Implantable gastric stimulation (IGS) is a pacemaker-like device with electrical connections to the surface of the stomach. These devices are aimed at obesity management. This device works by disrupting of the motility cycle or stimulating enteric nervous system. The purpose of both techniques is to increase the duration of satiety. These techniques can be referred to as gastric pacing.
The first technique—disrupting motility—although not found as effective as the other, extends satiety by slowing the clearing of food from the stomach.
The second technique—enteric nervous stimulation—specifically vagus stimulation, mimics the natural nervous mechanism causing satiety.
This device is implanted using laproscopic surgery. There are also some efforts to implant this device endoscopically, avoiding surgery.
This technology is still in the beginning phase and being tested in Europe and Canada and shows great promise. However early evidence suggests that it cannot produce the same reduction in excess weight as bariatric surgery such as roux-en-Y or laproscopic adjustable gastric banding (lap band)
Although less risky than surgical procedures such as a gastric band or gastric bypass, the treatment can still have complications including pulmonary embolism, perforation of the stomach, and dislodgement of the device head.
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