NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Virtua Health is offering a first-of-its-kind procedure in the region for weight loss. It's similar to bypass surgery but uses magnets to create a seal.
Magnetic duodeno-ileostomy surgery was approved by the FDA last year. Dr. Samuel Wasser said two small magnets are used to bring two parts of the intestine together. The patient first swallows a magnet, and once it enters the right part of the digestive system, surgeons will insert more to shut a pathway in the intestines without having to use a knife.
“They pass the magnet right past the stomach into what’s called the duodenum, which is the first part of your small intestine. And then you dock the magnets,” Wasser said.
“The magnets take about two to three weeks to make a connection or anastomosis, as we say in surgery. The anastomosis is stronger than suturing, stronger than stapling.” Wasser noted the magnets will pass through your digestive system naturally when the process is complete.
Wasser said the procedure increases GLP-1, which is what some injectable weight loss drugs do, and shrinks the stomach so you feel fuller with less food. GLP-1 triggers the release of insulin from your pancreas, according to Harvard Health.
Virtua said the procedure also reduces the risk of leaks or bleeding at the connection site and is minimally invasive because it does not pierce the tissue.
Wasser said this procedure is only for those with a BMI of 40 or more and those with diabetes. Those who would like to lose weight are advised to try other options, like GLP-1 injections.
Virtua is the first health system in the region to offer this procedure.