FDA approves manual stomach pump for obesity treatment

(WISH) The FDA has approved a new device for the treatment of obesity.

It’s a manual pump that drains food out of your stomach. Surgeons place the “AspireAssist” device by inserting a tube in the stomach through a small abdominal incision.

The tube is then connected to a port valve outside of the abdomen. After a meal, the patient can open the valve and drain stomach contents into the toilet.

The device is meant for obese patients 22 and older who haven’t had success with non-surgical weight-loss therapy. The FDA says that the device should not be used if the patient has an eating disorder. They say that it should also not be used for short durations.

It has a safety feature that tracks usage and automatically stops working after a certain number of usage cycles. The FDA said it will stop working after 115 cycles or with five to six weeks of therapy.

Patients using the device require frequent monitoring by a healthcare professional. The tube will be shortened as the patient loses weight.

For more information on the device, click here.