New Weight-Loss Procedure
Looks like there is a new way of weight-loss.
Carol Poe, a 60 year-old mother-of-two, tried everything to lose weight. She tried dieting, exercising, batriatic surgery. These methods were not effective and Carol decided to undergo the most radical treatment – brain surgery.
She was desperate to lose weight. At her heaviest, she weighted 490 pounds, and, as she says, she provoked constant interest in every aspect of her life.
Mrs. Poe, after having tried every possible way of losing weight, knew her problem had to be connected with her brain.
She is the second person in the USA to have deep brain stimulation for weight-loss. There are parts of the brain that control specific behavior. “So what they’re going to do is … insert needles into the part of my brain that controls the food,” said Carol. “And then they’ll put wires underneath my scalp, and it’ll go down on each side of my clavicle, [where] I’ll have a battery pack.”
Deep brain stimulation is successful in Parkinson’s disease ad epilepsy by eliminating or reducing the tremors and ticks. It influences behavioural problems such as obsessive compulsive disorder and depression, and now also weight-loss.
Dr. Julian Bailes from West Virginia University says the new procedure is not for overweight but for obese patients. He reminds this disease reduces life expectancy of 20 years and is associated with other diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.
Dr. Bailes stresses that only patients who went through every other treatment, including weight-loss surgery, qualify for the study. Before the procedure, all patients have a detailed psychiatric evaluation.
“She has a good profile,” Bailes said of Poe. “She’s failed the best surgery that we know of, which is gastric surgery. … So I think it is the best chance for them, for her.”
Obviously, there are risks associated with the surgery. The minor problems might be infections or hemorrhaging but patients might also be paralysed or even die.
Carol was awake during the surgery as there are no pain receptors in the skull or brain, and only a topical anesthetic wash was applied to her scalp.
The surgery was carried out by Drs, Michael Oh and Donald Whiting. They drilled about 10 cm into Carols’ brain on both hemispheres, making sure they only affect hypothalamus that is associated with stomach. Then, they introduced a wire that carried an electrical impulse. The aim was to alter the level of electricity giving the patient the feeling of being full.
Dr. Oh followed the surgery on a computer to help find the point where to introduce the electrodes.
Carol said the surgery did not hurt. During the procedure doctors asked her if she felt hungry or full and if she was cold or hot.
The operation lasted three hours. Carol stayed in the hospital for a few days. Three weeks after the operation, the voltage going into her brain was turned on and increased over time.
Doctors say, there won’t be noticeable changes in Mrs. Poe’s weight until several months have passed. But a month after the procedure, she already lost three pounds.
Carol has to keep a detailed record of what she eats and drinks every day so that doctors can see her progress. If it proves to be an effective method of weight-loss, it might become widely available.
