Treating Morbid Extreme Obesity. Part 1 of 3

Treating Morbid Extreme Obesity. A first-of-its-kind embed that curbs the appetite by electrically stimulating stomach nerves was approved Wednesday by the US Food and Drug Administration. The Maestro Rechargeable System is intended to deal with morbid (extreme) obesity, device manufacturer EnteroMedics Inc said in its application for FDA approval. The implant sends electrical signals to nerves around the tolerate that help control digestion. These signals block the nerves, decreasing hunger pangs and making the person feel full.

The FDA approved the artifice for use in people 18 and older who have a body-mass index (BMI) of 35 to 45 and at least one other obesity-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes. BMI is a ratio that determines body fat based on a person’s top and weight. For example, a person who’s 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds has a BMI of 35. People with a BMI of 30 or higher are considered obese, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People receiving a Maestro imprint also must have tried and failed to lose weight with a traditional weight loss program, the FDA said. The logo is the first FDA-approved obesity device since 2007. In clinical trials, people with a Maestro implant lost an average 8,5 percent more weight after one year than others who received a doctor implant. About half of the implanted patients lost at least 20 percent of their excess weight, and 38 percent lost at least 25 percent of their surplus weight.

EnteroMedics reported that people with fake implants regained about 40 percent of the weight they had lost within six months of the trial’s end, while the people with the Maestro device appeared to experience their weight loss. According to the CDC, more than one-third of all US adults are obese, and people with obesity are at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

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