Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

An electrical stimulation device to speed up the digestion in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes is showing promising results in the improvement of glycemic control, according to Med Page Today. The device works by discharging electrical current into the gastric antrum. It was originally developed as a nonpharmacologic alternative for treatment of gastroparesis, which is often treated with the medication Reglan (metoclopramide).

Some patients with gastroparesis don’t respond to treatment and some may experience severe adverse events from the medication. For example, Reglan recently fell under a black box warning after reports of a serious movement disorder called Tardive Dyskinesia in some patients who took the medication. Given the risks of medication, alternative therapies like the stimulation device seem more attractive. 

During a six-month study of 34 patients with the meal-activated nerve stimulators, researchers also found that patients lost about 10 pounds and two inches from their waistline, suggesting the device may also aid in weight loss.

The device, Tantalus, manufactured by MetaCure, is made up of three electrodes that attach at one end to a pulse generator and at the other end to the distal stomach. As the device senses food intake, it transmits an electrical current to the stomach to stimulate gastric contraction.

“The minimally invasive approach combined with a low incidence of adverse events presents a potential benefit that may position this system as a valid treatment for type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Arthur Bohdajlian, of the Medical University of Vienna in Austria. “Additional clinical benefits on conditions related to metabolic syndrome are currently being analyzed.”

The device is approved in Europe for the treatment of obesity and the management of type 2 diabetes in obese patients.

Related posts:

• Patients with gastroparesis should weigh treatment options
• Procedure shows promise versus drugs for children with gastroparesis
• New treatment for gastroparesis granted FDA ‘fast-track’ status
• New GERD treatment may spell relief for sufferers
• Women more likely than men to suffer from gastroparesis

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 1:33 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.