Information on EndoBarrier®
The EndoBarrier® Gastrointestinal Liner is a breakthrough product designed to help patients regain control of type 2 diabetes and obesity. The EndoBarrier has received European CE mark approval and is commercially available in Chile, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. EndoBarrier is an implanted sleeve, that looks like a giant sausage skin, which they claim can cure diabetes. This two feet-long device can reverse diabetes within weeks — in fact, it acts as an incisionless alternative to a weightloss surgery known as duodenal switch. It is a plastic sleeve that lines the duodenum, meaning food can only be absorbed lower down the intestine. The duodenum is the name for first 10 to 12 inches of the small intestine, which attaches to the stomach. The sleeve is inserted via the mouth (under anestesia) and passed into the digestive tract using a thin tube. After that , a sprung titanium anchor prevents it slipping out. The sleeve remains there and is removed after a year.
How does it work?
The EndoBarrier is implanted into the intestine and acts as a physical barrier between food and that part of the intestine wall where the EndoBarrier is present. This action delays digestion and intervenes with the body’s metabolic functions, which results in improved diabetes control and weight loss, thus mimicking the effects of gastric bypass surgery without the risks associated with surgery. Since, EndoBarrier is inserted endoscopically (via the mouth), it doesn’t require any surgery or incisions.
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Month: Current Affairs - October, 2011