SAEDNEWS: Engineers at MIT have developed a stomach balloon that can be inflated before meals to prevent overeating and deflated when not needed.
According to SaedNews, engineers at MIT have developed a stomach balloon that can be inflated before meals to prevent overeating and deflated when not needed.
Silicone stomach balloons, filled with air or saline and placed in the stomach, create a feeling of fullness and can aid in weight loss. However, this effect may diminish over time as the stomach gets used to the sensation.
To overcome this limitation, MIT engineers have designed a new type of stomach balloon that can be inflated when needed and deflated afterwards. In animal experiments, inflating the balloon before meals reduced food intake by up to 60%.
According to the researchers, this intervention could be an alternative for those who do not want to undergo invasive treatments like gastric bypass surgery or for those who do not respond well to weight loss medications. Giovanni Traverso, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT and the lead researcher on the project, said, "The main concept is that we can have a dynamic balloon that inflates before a meal to address hunger and deflates between meals."
Saline-filled stomach balloons are currently approved for use in the USA. These balloons stimulate a feeling of fullness in the stomach, and research has shown they are effective. However, their benefits are often temporary. Traverso said, "Stomach balloons are initially effective, but weight regain eventually follows the same path. Our argument was that if we have a system that simulates fullness in a transient way just before meals, it might offer a method for weight loss."
To achieve a more lasting effect in patients, the researchers decided to design a device that could expand and contract as needed. They created two prototypes: a traditional balloon that could inflate and deflate, and a mechanical device with four arms that expanded outward, pulling an elastic polymer shell that pressed against the stomach wall.
In animal experiments, the researchers found that the mechanical arm device could effectively expand to fill the stomach, but they ultimately decided to pursue the balloon option. Traverso said, "We felt that the balloon likely distributes the force better, and if the balloon applies pressure, it might be a safer method in the long run."
The new MIT researchers' balloon is similar to the traditional stomach balloon but is inserted into the stomach through an incision in the abdominal wall. The balloon is connected to an external controller that can be attached to the skin and has a pump to inflate and deflate the balloon as needed. Placing this device is similar to the method used for inserting a feeding tube in patients who cannot eat or drink. Traverso said, "For certain at-risk patients who cannot undergo surgery, tolerate medications, or have other contraindications, there are limited options. Traditional stomach balloons are still used but come with a warning that weight loss may eventually reverse and weight may be regained. Therefore, the new balloon could be a way to address this fundamental limitation."
This research was published in the journal "Device."
