A Pacemaker for the Stomach

FDA in early 2015 approved the Maestro Rechargeable System made by EnteroMedics (St. Paul, MN). The device targets the nerve that runs between the brain and the stomach to control feelings of hunger and fullness.

The Maestro vBloc system is very much like a "pacemaker for the stomach." It includes a rechargeable electrical pulse generator and wire leads and electrodes that are implanted surgically into the abdomen through a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure. Intermittent electrical pulses go to the abdominal vagus nerve, which regulates stomach emptying and signals the brain that the stomach feels empty or full.

The Maestro's vBloc therapy is presently approved for people aged 18 years through age 65 who are obese and suffering from a related health condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels.

The Maestro System has been implanted in more than 600 patients to date, according to EnteroMedics' website. And the company reports that those receiving more than 12 hours of vBloc therapy per day achieve more than 25% average excess weight loss at 12 months.

The company was recently touting new study results that show significantly greater weight loss in vBloc patients with moderate obesity.

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