It uses a special, disposable, needle inserter. The gastric pacemaker impulses act by stimulating the stomach to send neurohumoral "messages," by means of nerves, the blood stream, or lymphatic system. The result is to make the person with the implant feel artificially "full" or satiated. In the natural state, such feelings of fullness cause lean persons to stop or reduce the amount of food and liquids consumed. Similarly, gastric pacemaker-produced impulses are aimed at artificially inducing satiety in the implantees.
As a result, implantees should consume fewer calories, resulting in significant, long-term, weight loss The "pacemaker procedure" which is used on the stomach is an innovative attempt to manage obesity. The gastric pacemaker tricks obese patients into thinking their stomachs are full. This is a less invasive procedure and an alternative to gastric bypass surgery.
Called the 'stomach pacemaker', the tiny matchbox-sized gadget, when implanted within the stomach, slows down the movement of food through the intestine, making you feel fuller and preventing hunger pangs. The battery-powered electrical pacemaker unit is implanted under the skin around the waist and linked to a control unit worn outside the body. Electrical signals are transmitted to the muscles in the stomach wall via a wire implanted using keyhole surgery. They mimic the stomach's own electrical currents, which cause it to contract and empty.
Unlike most current surgeries to treat obesity, this operation does not alter gastrointestinal anatomy and has been shown safe in 450 study subjects worldwide. The system uses an implantable electronic pulse generator to deliver electrical stimulation to the stomach and reduce appetite
Patients usually do not feel anything when the pacemaker is working. The minor surgery can take as little time as an hour and patients may not be required to stay overnight.
'Gastric pacing is a novel approach to treat obesity: less aggressive than the usual surgical procedures and with no side effects compared with long-term drug therapy or bariatric surgery.
The pacemakers are surgically implanted via either minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery or open surgery under general anesthesia.
The stimulator is very similar to a heart pacemaker and lies just below the skin. The electronic leads of the pacer are sutured into the outside of the stomach as electrical impulses are sent to work on the smooth muscles of the stomach. The pacer can be programmed by a device which lays on top of the skin. The device, which turns it on and off and adjusts the intensity, looks something like a small hairdryer.
Weight is not only lost but the weight loss is maintained over several years.
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