Maestro Rechargeable System
A brand new treatment for obesity, the gastric pacemaker helps patients lose weight by stimulating the vagus nerve that runs from the brain to the stomach. In this way, the device blocks communication between the brain and the stomach – tricking the brain into believing the body is full.
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What Can I Expect During Surgery For A Gastric Pacemaker?
The surgery for a gastric pacemaker an outpatient procedure that lasts about 90 minutes is performed by Dr. David Davtyan in Los Angeles. To begin, your surgeon will administer general anesthesia to ensure your comfort and safety. From there, he will place three implanted devices in your body. He’ll place a pulse generator in your upper left chest, with two lead wires that are placed on the vagus nerve in the abdomen. The generator begins sending pulses to the nerve a few minutes after you begin eating or drinking – which will make you feel full after eating about half the amount of food you would normally consume.
Although the gastric pacemaker is intended to be a lifelong solution for patients who struggle with obesity, there is some maintenance required. The battery itself only lasts about eight years, at which point it will need to be replaced. Fortunately, this can be accomplished very easily under local anesthesia.
What Are The Side Effects?
As with all weight loss treatments, there are some side effects to consider when deciding to receive a gastric pacemaker. The most common ones include pain in the area of the device, nausea, vomiting, surgical complications, heartburn, swallowing problems, belching and chest pain. In addition, some patients experience a slight tingling when they first start therapy, but that usually goes away once your body adjusts to the sensation of the pulses.