Another Anti-Obesity Tool?
“We’re all familiar with the epidemic that is obesity affecting nearly one in two adults, and the profound impact that it has on patients’ health, their quality of life, as well as the healthcare system,” Dr. McGowan said. “It’s clear that we need every tool possible to address this because we know that obesity is not a matter of willpower. It’s a disease.”
Gastric fundus ablation “may represent, and frankly should represent, a treatment option for the greater than 100 million US adults with obesity,” he added.
Not every patient wants to or can access GLP-1 medications, Dr. McGowan said. Also, “there’s a difference between taking a medication long-term, requiring an injection every week, vs a single intervention in time that carries forward.”
Ablation could also help people transition after they stop GLP-1 medications to help them maintain their weight loss, he said.
Weight loss is the endpoint you care about the most, said Dr. Laine, who co-moderated the press briefing.
Though the weight loss of 7.7% was not a large percentage, it was only 10 patients. We will have to see whether the total body weight loss is different when they do the procedure in more patients or if they can combine different mechanisms, Dr. Laine said.
It remains unclear whether gastric fundus ablation would be a stand-alone procedure or used in combination with another endoscopic weight-management intervention, bariatric surgery, or medication.
The endoscopic sleeve, which is a stomach-reducing procedure, is very effective, but it doesn’t diminish hunger, Dr. McGowan said. Combining it with ablation may be “a best-of-both-worlds scenario.”
Dr. Laine added that another open question is whether the gastric fundal accommodation will be associated with any side effects such as dyspepsia.
Dr. McGowan reported consulting for Boston Scientific and Apollo Endosurgery. Dr. Laine reported no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.