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Implantable Gastric Stimulation (IGS™) as Therapy for Human Morbid Obesity: Report from the 2001 IFSO Symposium in Crete

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Abstract

This supplement contains reports from a symposium on a novel approach to treat obesity, gastric myo-electrical stimulation, that was held at the IFSO in Greece in 2001. There were four presentations. Xavier Pi-Sunyer from Columbia University in New York discussed medical risks of obesity. Karl Miller from Austria presented technical aspects of the surgery. Valerio Cigaina from Italy, the originator of the concept, reviewed his 7-year results with this therapy. Finally, Jerome D’Argent from France gave his preliminary results employing higher energy electrical stimulation parameters.

Customarily weight loss data are presented as percent excess weight lost (%EWL), an antiquated measurement, eg. all subjects were purchasing life insurance, the poor and minorities were under-represented and those with heart disease, malignancies or diabetes were excluded. In this supplement weight loss data are presented in a novel manner: percent excess body mass index (BMI) lost %EBL.

This innovation merits an explanation and justification. The NIH/NIDDK convened a panel, chaired by Professor Pi-Sunyer, that concluded that for adults a BMI of 25 should be considered the upper limit of normal. Accordingly, we have proposed that BMI units in excess of 25 be considered to represent 100% of the excess weight of an individual. The USA FDA has agreed to accept weight loss data presented as %EBL.

The intriguing data presented justify further evaluation of this novel, potentially useful and relatively benign treatment of obesity.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

body mass index (kg/height (meters)2

%EWL:

percent excess weight lost

%EBL:

percent excess body mass index lost

IGS:

Implantable gastric stimulator

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA

    Robert J. Greenstein MD, FACS, FRCS (Consultant)

  2. Department of Surgery, Hospital Hutoise, Huy, Belgium

    Mitiku Belachew MD (Chief)

Authors
  1. Robert J. Greenstein MD, FACS, FRCS
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  2. Mitiku Belachew MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J. Greenstein MD, FACS, FRCS.

Additional information

Potential Conflicts of Interest: RJG is a consultant to and has an equity position in Transneuronix Inc., the sponsor of this supplement and of the Symposium. MB is a Clinical Investigator of the Implantable Gastric Stimulator System.

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Greenstein, R.J., Belachew, M. Implantable Gastric Stimulation (IGS™) as Therapy for Human Morbid Obesity: Report from the 2001 IFSO Symposium in Crete. OBES SURG 12 (Suppl 1), S3–S5 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03342139

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