The new weight loss drugs like Ozempic (semaglutide) work by mimicking a hormone that reduces appetite. As we gain a greater understanding of the hormonal drivers of weight loss, surgeons are trying various techniques to see if they can get a permanent effect that is similar to the medication. One of the more interesting new ones is a simple procedure that uses the same endoscope which is used to treat stomach ulcers.
In this small trial, 10 women underwent endoscopic fundal ablation, a procedure that takes less than one hour. (The fundus is the small top part of the stomach). 6 months after the procedure they were much less hungry, had lost 8% of their body weight, and had 45% lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. This will need to be studied in more people over a longer period of time to fully understand its benefits and risks.
This work by McGowan is Abstract 516 at Digestive Disease Week 2024 in Washington DC.
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