Bariatric Surgery Device News: Stomach Pumps

Obesity is a consistent problem in the United States. The more we study this chronic disease and how it can be treated, the more we are discovering that it is far more complicated than what most people think.  There are several causes of obesity. Some of which are seemingly obvious and others that are hard to observe with the naked eye. Behavior, biology, and environment all have a part to play in the obesity trend, and we have a long way to go before reversing it entirely.

This is why top scientists, doctors, and the medical device market are constantly trying to figure out ways to combat the condition.  One of the latest in a group of innovative medical devices for obesity is the use of a special stomach pumps.  Why a stomach pump and how does the use of the device work for weight loss? Let’s find out.

Stomach Pumps

Typically, stomach pumps are for the quick removal of poison within a time frame. They are a common emergency response to a time-sensitive situation. The term for it is gastric suction.

According to healthline.com”Your doctor may order gastric suction if you swallow poison or overdose on pills. If you’ve swallowed something poisonous, such as a household chemical, get to the hospital as soon as possible. Gastric suction is most successful if the doctor performs it within four hours of ingesting a poisonous substance. Once the poison works its way further into your digestive tract, performing this procedure won’t remove it.”

So if a stomach pump is something reserved for poison, then there should be no place for it in weight loss surgery, right? Not exactly.

Other Medical Uses for Stomach Pumps

There have been medical applications for stomach pumps for other things. Those processes include:

• Collecting stomach acid samples
• Relieving pressure from intestines that suffer from a blockage
• Suctioning out blood from a stomach hemorrhage
• Safely performing surgery and limit the risk of aspiration pneumonia
• Decompressing the stomach during assisted ventilation in a hospital setting

So, how do stomach pumps come into play as a bariatric device? Is it surgical or non-surgical? How invasive can the device be and what sort of drawback could it have?

The Aspire Assist Stomach Pump

Basically, the use of a stomach pump for weight loss is a specific medical device. The inventors call it the Aspire Assist Stomach Pump or the stomach pump for weight loss. The FDA approved the medical device in 2016. So far it has mixed reviews among the medical community.

So, how does it work?

It is basically an attachable extension for your stomach.  Surprising enThe procedure takes 15 minutes on average, and only requires a small amount of sedation. An endoscope attaches a flat, disc-shaped button (the Skin-Port) on the outside of your belly. That will connect to a tube (the A-tube) on the inside of your stomach.

Afterward, the pump will be something that is brought home. Anyone with the pump will use it within a time frame to pump out excess food after each meal. Then, the excess food gets flushed away like regular waste.

The weight loss results after a year with the device was an average of 31.2 pounds (approximately 12 percent of their total body weight or 31 percent of their excess body weight). The result was greater than counseling alone, where the numbers presented were much lower.

Qualifications

First, before any patient gets approval, there are qualifications that need to be met.

Here are the conditions for stomach pump approval:

• The device is only approved for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 to 55.
• They must be willing to change their lifestyle
• Have tried and failed to undergo a weight loss program

Conditions that would prevent people from becoming viable candidates include:

• Patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Bariatric patients that have difficulty swallowing or digesting food
• Patients who have had radiation treatment to the chest or torso
• Those with persistent stomach ulcers or stomach pain
• People with lung or heart disease
• And patients with eating disorders.

Conclusion

So, what does this mean for bariatric surgery? Is this medical device the answer to all obesity problems? Of course not. After all, No treatment is a one size fit’s all guaranteed. In fact, everyone is different, and everybody has different problems. So, unless there is something that magically addresses every cause of obesity, we have to make do with looking for the right solution to the right problem. However, if you are looking for a bariatric surgeon in Decatur, Alabama willing to find your answer feel free to contact us.

Find us and schedule a consultation at www.alabariatrics.com