Gastric electrical stimulation, also known as implantable gastric stimulation, is the use of specific devices to provide electrical stimulation to the

stomach The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the upper gastrointestinal tract of Human, humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The Ancient Greek name for the stomach is ''gaster'' which is used as ''gastric'' in medical t ...

to try to bring about weight loss in those who are overweight or improve

gastroparesis Gastroparesis (gastro- from Ancient Greek – gaster, "stomach"; and -paresis, πάρεσις – "partial paralysis") is a medical disorder of ineffective neuromuscular contractions (peristalsis) of the stomach, resulting in food and l ...

. Gastric electrical stimulation is a

pacemaker A pacemaker, also known as an artificial cardiac pacemaker, is an implanted medical device that generates electrical pulses delivered by electrodes to one or more of the chambers of the heart. Each pulse causes the targeted chamber(s) to co ...

-like device with electrical connections to the surface of the

. The device works by disrupting of the motility cycle or stimulating

enteric nervous system The enteric nervous system (ENS) is one of the three divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the others being the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). It consists of a mesh-like system of neurons th ...

. There are a number of different devices on the market including Transend, Maestro, and Diamond.

Medical uses

These devices are for treatment of

. The best available evidence, however, find that they are of questionable utility for this condition. As of 2017 it is not approved for use for

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess Adipose tissue, body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classifi ...

in the United States. The first studies done did not find a benefit, however, research is ongoing.

Mechanism of action

Once food leaves the stomach and enters the

duodenum The duodenum is the first section of the small intestine in most vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In mammals, it may be the principal site for iron absorption. The duodenum precedes the jejunum and ileum and is the shortest p ...

, the gut-brain-liver axis is activated, which involves signaling between the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the Digestion, digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascula ...

and the nervous system. For patients without

type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes (T2D), formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is a form of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent ...

, the gastric transit time of food is estimated to be 30–45 minutes (the time from food ingestion to food leaving the stomach into the duodenum). In type 2 diabetes, the neurohormonal communication system is impaired. Delayed signaling within the gut-brain-liver axis leads to high blood glucose concentration after meals.

Usage

There are approximately 4,000 gastric pacer surgeries a year in the United States.

Approval

The Diamond system first received CE mark in 2007 and is approved for sale in Europe, Australia, and Hong Kong.Israel21c. MetaCure treats diabetes without meds. http://www.israel21c.org/metacure-treats-diabetes-without-meds/ Accessed on November 30, 2015. It is not approved in the United States for obesity.

References

{{reflist Medical technology