New Obesity Treatment Blocks Vagus Nerve
Doctors are searching for less extreme and less invasive alternatives to bariatric surgery.
Right now, there are 2 main bariatric surgery techniques. One is a bypass procedure that removes part of the stomach and reroutes the passage of food. The other puts a band around the top of the stomach to decrease its capacity to hold food.
Both are major surgeries with the possibility of serious side effects.
But now doctors are testing an implantable device which blocks the vagal nerve. It’s known as VBLOC(TM) vagal blocking therapy.
In a 6-month trial in Norway, Mexico, and Australia, 31 obese patients used the device to see if electrically blocking the vagus nerve would make them feel full after eating a normal-sized meal.
These patients didn’t go on diets or receive counseling. The goal was to see how much the implanted device reduced weight on its own.
VBLOC therapy uses high-frequency electricity to block the nerve impulses between the brain and the stomach and the pancreas. The patient turns on the device during the day by flipping a switch.
Think of it as a pacemaker for your stomach. But instead of stimulating your heartbeat, the VBLOC blocks the stomach nerves to make you feel fuller.
So how well did it work?
Well, for the 31 obese patients who tried it, the average weight loss was 15% of their excess weight. Seven or eight patients lost over 25% of their excess weight and three patients lost greater than 30%.
Although this initial test seems promising, more studies will take place before this new obesity treatment becomes publicly available.
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