You may have considered bariatric surgery if you’re one of the many Americans with a BMI of 35-45. It works but it can have serious long-term side effects. Only a small percentage of obese people consider surgery.

However, there is a new pacemaker-like device which can reduce hunger and lead to longer fullness. It does not alter or restrict the anatomy. This could be the key to weight loss. The vagus nerve, which is the communication link between the brain & stomach, is how it works. If the stomach signals the brain that it is full, it interrupts. This allows for sustained, safe weight loss. Patients feel fuller and eat less.

It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2015. This device is the first to offer weight loss to patients for over a decade.

“Obesity is a global epidemic with consequences to both public and personal health,”Sajani Shah MD and Tufts Medical Center Bariatric Surgeon. “From diet and exercise to bypass surgery, existing treatment options have failed to stop the advance of this disease.”

The EnteroMedics in St. Paul created it. vBloc Neurometabolic TherapyImplanted in a minimally invasive procedure, it allows patients to maintain a healthy diet and not be restricted by food restrictions.

“With this new weight-loss option, what’s really important to understand is that it’s less invasive, less complex and there are absolutely no restrictions to what you can eat,”Shah. “Patients like that it’s reversible, they have more control over their hunger and they have more control over how fast they lose weight. They are able to go back to work within days, and it’s outpatient surgery,”She spoke.

Erica Roy received her vBloc device more than 18 months ago. The results speak for themselves, she said. Roy claimed she could not be happier, despite losing 45 pounds.

“What is amazing to me about this device is that it doesn’t just affect me physically, it works on helping me address my relationship with food,”She spoke.

Roy explained that the device targets people who feel that gastric surgeries such as bypass or lapband are too extreme.

For more information, call 1-800-MyvBloc. www.vbloc.com.