FDA approves appetite 'pacemaker'

EnteroMedics' Maestro Rechargeable System aims to regulate hunger

The Maestro Rechargeable System is the first device of its kind.
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For those convinced their bouts of hunger are insatiable, there may soon be a remedy for the urge to eat past the  point of fullness. 


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given its approval to a groundbreaking appetite controlling device. Developed by Enteromedics, whose mission is to create therapies that address obesity and metabolic diseases, the Maestro Rechargeable System can be thought of as a pacemaker for the stomach. 

Per Engadget:

The device sits just under your abdomen and sends electrical pulses that both block hunger signals and send fullness signals more often. In theory, you'll lose weight simply because you have a better sense of when to stop.

The FDA wants Enteromedics to conduct a 5-year study to see how well the device works for people in the long run. Those who used a test version of the Maestro Rechargeable System lost a mere 8.5 percent more excess weight than those who used a dummy device. 

Read the full story here.