A temporary ‘intestinal lining’ that helps you feel full faster can help you maintain your weight two years after it is removed, a study has found.
The device – which unlike gastric bands does not require surgery – lines part of the small intestine, preventing the absorption of food.
Early studies showed it helped people with type 2 diabetes maintain lower blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of serious complications.
The 60 cm long sleeve, known as the EndoBarrier, is inserted through the mouth using an endoscope while the patient is under general anesthesia or sedation.
It is anchored in place, just past the stomach, by a very thin wire basket made of Nitinol – an alloy of nickel and titanium.
The 60 cm long sleeve, known as the EndoBarrier, is inserted through the mouth using an endoscope while the patient is under general anesthesia or sedation. It is anchored in place, just past the stomach, by a very thin wire basket made of Nitinol – an alloy of nickel and titanium
The EndoBarrier is a thin, impermeable sleeve, which is inserted through the mouth and lines the first 60 cm of the small intestine, preventing the absorption of food in that area
Food that leaves the body along the way through the intestines and through the feces is prevented from coming into contact with the first sixty centimeters of the small intestine.
This is thought to change the way the body metabolizes nutrients and releases gut hormones, resulting in more efficient glucose processing and patients feeling full faster.
It is then removed by mouth after 12 months.
Research presented at the Diabetes UK conference in London involved 90 patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity who received the treatment, with 60 patients reporting results after two years.
One year after implantation, patients lost an average of 16.7 kg (2 stone 9 lbs) and reported significantly lower blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
More than half (53 percent) were found to maintain improvements in body weight and blood sugar levels, with more than a quarter maintaining some improvements and two in 10 returning to previous levels.
Of those who used insulin before treatment, 28 percent no longer needed it two years after removal.
There were adverse events, with 13 patients requiring early removal, including five due to gastrointestinal bleeding, two liver abscesses, one other abscess and five gastrointestinal symptoms.
All recovered fully and most experienced benefits despite complications, researchers said.
Dr. Bob Ryder, diabetes consultant at Birmingham City Hospital, and lead researcher described ‘a global pandemic of type 2 diabetes and obesity.’
He said many people are unable to maintain their weight and have high blood sugar levels despite their best efforts and all available medications.
“The importance of our findings for people with type 2 diabetes is that we showed that 80 percent of our services were able to maintain significant improvement two years after EndoBarrier removal,” he said.
Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, research director at Diabetes UK, said: ‘Despite remarkable advances in treatment options for type 2 diabetes over the past decade, getting and keeping blood sugars within target range can still be a real challenge. Healthcare professionals should work with people with type 2 diabetes to find the right approach for them, whether it involves medications, diet and exercise, or weight loss surgery.
‘More type 2 treatments will ensure that people with the condition have a better chance of finding a treatment that suits them, giving them the best chance of a long and healthy future.’
