Health
Minimally invasive weight loss procedure Gastric mucosal ablation shows promising results, research suggests
Topline
Results of the first-in-human trial examining a new weight-loss procedure called gastric mucosal ablation were released Thursday, and the nonsurgical procedure caused minimal side effects with a short outpatient recovery period compared to other weight-loss procedures, although the amount of weight lost was less.
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Key facts
The researchers followed ten female participants with an average age of 38.4 years and an average BMI of 40.2 (obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher) for a six-month period between November 2022 and April 2023.
Each participant underwent the endoscopic procedure called gastric mucosal ablation, in which a fluid cushion is inserted to protect the stomach lining before a small device is used to burn the gastric fundus, the lining of the upper part of the stomach.
The hunger hormone ghrelin is mainly stored in the gastric fundus and the production of ghrelin leads to a greater feeling of hunger. Thus, burning the gastric fundus reduces the production of ghrelin, which leads to less food consumption.
The participants lost an average of nearly 8% of their body weight within six months, totaling an average of about 19 pounds, reduced their ghrelin production by 45%, reduced their stomach capacity by 42%, and reduced their hunger and appetite by 43%.
The participants experienced no serious side effects, only minimal side effects such as gas pressure, mild nausea and cramps, which lasted between one and three days, according to Dr. Christopher McGowan, lead author of the study and a gastroenterologist and medical director of the medical center. clinic True You Weight Loss, said during a media briefing.
The procedure took an average of 55 minutes and all participants underwent it on an outpatient basis – meaning they did not require hospitalization afterwards – so they could leave and go home within an hour of the procedure.
How does gastric mucosal ablation compare to other weight loss procedures?
Gastric mucosal ablation is considered a minimally invasive surgical option because it burns only the gastric fundus, while other invasive procedures such as gastric sleeve and bypass involve removing or bypassing the gastric fundus, creating a new pouch in the stomach and connecting it to the intestines. “For patients who fear surgical complications, these minimally invasive techniques may be a more acceptable treatment option,” McGowan told Forbes.
- Side effects: Although not much research has been done on the long-term side effects of gastric mucosal ablation, they appear to be less serious than other procedures. Complications of surgical procedures such as the stomach sleeve And gastric bypass include infection, excessive bleeding, blood clots, stomach leakage, lung or breathing problems, hernias, vomiting, low blood pressure and vitamin deficiencies. Lap band complications include nausea, vomiting, erosion of the band, obstruction of the exit between the stomach and the pouch, acid reflux, difficulty swallowing, dilation of the pouch, and excess scar tissue around the band. The stomach balloon and the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty– these are other minimally invasive procedures – have side effects such as nausea, indigestion, constipation and acid reflux, bleeding, infections, abscesses, stomach leaks, collapsed lungs, blood clots in the lungs and gas or air in the abdominal cavity.
- Recovery time: Compared to the gastric mucosal ablation, which took an average of 55 minutes and required avoiding strenuous activities for the next three to five days, the gastric sleeve was takes takes between 40 and 70 minutes, the bypass takes two to three hours and the lap band takes between one and two o’clock. Are recommended Patients require a recovery period of one to two weeks after receiving the lap band before returning to work, while the gastric sleeve and bypass require a recovery period of two to four weeks. The gastric balloon takes 20 to 30 minutes to insert and requires a recovery period of one to three days. The ESG takes between takes one to three hours and requires a recovery period of one to three days.
- Weight loss: The weight loss results from the gastric mucosal ablation study were less significant than with other methods. Patients usually lose 50%-60% of their excessive body weight within the first six months after the gastric sleeve, they lose in between 30% and 40% of their body weight within the first six months after gastric bypass and patients lose one to two pounds per week after getting the lap band, so that amounts to 25-50 pounds after six months. Patients lose approx 16.6% of their total body weight within the first months of receiving ESG, and in between 6% and 15% from the gastric balloon.
Crucial quote
“It could provide an additional option for patients who do not want or are not eligible for anti-obesity medications, such as Wegovy and Ozempic, or bariatric surgery,” McGowan said in a statement about gastric mucosal ablation.
Large number
1 billion. That is the number of people worldwide with obesity, according to recent research published in the Lancet. That includes 879 million adults and 159 million children.
