Inflated balloons have long been used for weight loss, but their effectiveness wanes over time. Now, MIT engineers have come up with a revolutionary balloon that inflates and deflates on demand, reducing food intake by a remarkable 60%. Obesity is a global problem that affects millions, and many people are in need of effective weight loss alternatives. Injectable anti-obesity medications are popular, but not everyone can take them due to side effects or expense. An inflated balloon that occupies stomach space and creates a feeling of fullness is not a new concept, but the MIT engineers have improved upon it.

MIT's Innovative Balloon Revolutionizes Weight Loss

Gastric Balloon Therapy: Initial Success and Limitations

Research has shown that intragastric balloon (IGB) therapy initially offers a minimally invasive way to lose weight. However, its effectiveness decreases after about three or four months as the stomach adapts to the balloon and stops sending satiety signals to the brain. This leads to a weight loss plateau. The Spatz3, a commercially available adjustable gastric balloon, is an example of this.The MIT engineers aimed to improve upon the Spatz3, which can only be adjusted upward. They devised the oscillating satiety induction and regulation intragastric system (OSIRIS). The OSIRIS balloon is inflated before meals to stimulate a feeling of fullness and deflated afterwards to prevent the stomach from getting used to the inflated state. The on-demand inflation-deflation cycle occurs three times a day at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Comparison of Obesity Treatments: Invasiveness and Risks

Many IGB designs exist with little difference between them, and few have been approved by the FDA. Most require insertion using an endoscope, which is a minimally invasive procedure but still requires general anesthesia. At the other end of the spectrum is bariatric surgery, which is a major surgery with associated risks and complications. The OSIRIS system is less invasive than bariatric surgery but more invasive than IGB. It is delivered endoscopically like a traditional gastric balloon and uses a PEG feeding tube for inflation and deflation.PEG insertion uses only moderate sedation and local anesthesia, making it a less invasive option. The researchers see other benefits to using a PEG tube, such as its long-term compatibility as it can be kept in the body for years.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the OSIRIS System on Pigs

The researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the OSIRIS system on three groups of pigs. One group was a control with no balloon, one was a sham with an uninflated balloon, and the third was the treatment group with an inflated device. The pigs were fed 1,360 g of pellet feed twice a day for 30 minutes, and the remaining feed was weighed after each feeding. Inflating the balloon before meals caused a 60% reduction in food intake.Preliminary testing was done over a short period of a month, and the next step is to evaluate the device over a longer period to see if it leads to weight loss. If the OSIRIS system can be safely used in humans, it will offer an alternative weight loss option that is between injectable medications and bariatric surgery in terms of invasiveness.For certain patients who are at high risk, cannot undergo surgery, or have contraindications, there are limited options for weight loss. Traditional gastric balloons are still used, but their effectiveness can plateau. The OSIRIS system aims to address this fundamental limitation.The study was published in the journal Device.Source: MIT