New Therapy Emerging For Treatment Of Obesity
October 03, 2006
Electric shock is the latest technique of shortening
hunger and helping people lose weight.
An implantable gastric stimulator gadget slows down
peristalsis - the process of muscle contractions which
forces food along the
digestive tract.
This means a person does not feel hungry again as quickly as they normally would.
Training people to eat smaller quantities is an important
part of helping the obese to lose
weight.
In the UK, 20% of adults are classified as obese and in the US, 23% of adults are classified as obese.
The electric shock treatment is an alternative to stomach
stapling, where the stomach or intestines are sewed
or stapled together.
The idea was originally developed by Italian doctor
Valerio Cigaina, but it is being marketed by the US
company Transneuronix, based in New Jersey.
It is available in Europe and its makers hope to find
a distributor in the UK.
The device is implanted near nerves in the stomach
wall.
It transmits a small 10-milliampere current 12 times a minute for two seconds a time.
Source from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health
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