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'EndoBarrier' Improves Weight Loss Results

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Nov 25, 2008 6:21 am US/Mountain

'EndoBarrier' Improves Weight Loss Results

Reporting
Kathy Walsh
(CBS4) A potential new way to get better results from gastric bypass surgery. Sometimes people have so much weight to lose, even gastric bypass surgery isn't enough, but a new experimental device could help.

For Geri Jemlich, fighting her desire to binge eat is a lifelong struggle.

"I was a food addict. I couldn't sleep at night if I thought there was another row of Oreos," said Jemlich.

So Geri volunteered for a new, less invasive procedure being studied in Boston. Doctors place a two foot plastic sleeve inside the intestine using an endoscope.

It's called an EndoBarrier liner.

"It prevents food from contacting the first part of the small intestine. and it prevents digestive juices from mixing with that food, so essentially duplicating that effect of the gastric bypass," said Dr. Dmitry Nepomnayshy, Lahey Clinic.

No surgery is needed with the EndoBarrier, but the results are not as dramatic as gastric bypass. The results are not as dramatic as gastric bypass.

The average patient lost between 12 and 24 pounds in the three month trial. Geri had a better outcome. "40 pounds. 40 pounds in 12 weeks," she said.

In the study, the EndoBarrier was removed after 12 weeks. Geri had gastric bypass surgery after the barrier was removed and lost 140 pounds. At a much slimmer 200 pounds, it's given her just what she needed.

"I'm energetic and do things that I wouldn't even think... Just walking the grandchildren. Just going to the gym now," said Geri.

One day the EndoBarrier may be an option for obese people who don't want to undergo surgery, or who don't qualify because of health issues. Studies involving the EndoBarrier indicate it may also serve as a treatment for type 2 diabetes one day.

It is not available in our area yet, but the doctor involved with the study tells us the technology will be available through a larger study in the next year.

FDA approval and widespread use will likely take a few years.

Additional Resources: 

http://www.gidynamics.com/endobarrier_technology

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