Clinical Trials

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 21-65 years old.
• BMI ≥ 30 and ≤ 40 kg/m².
• Willingness to comply with the substantial lifelong dietary restrictions required by the procedure.
• History of failure with non-surgical weight-loss methods.
• Willingness to follow protocol requirements, including signed informed consent, routine follow-up schedule, completing laboratory tests, and completing diet counseling.
• Residing within a reasonable distance from the investigator’s office and able to travel to the investigator to complete all routine follow-up visits.
• Ability to give informed consent.
• Women of childbearing potential (i.e., not post-menopausal or surgically sterilized) must agree to use adequate birth control methods.
• ***There will be a quota for at least:
  • 50 patients with hypertension on one or more anti-hypertensive medication;
  • 50 patients with type II diabetes mellitus on oral agents only with HgA1c ≤ 9; and 
  • Obesity HTH, Obesity DM) and block randomized.
• No more than 50 participants without comorbidities will be enrolled in the trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of foregut or gastrointestinal (GI) surgery (except uncomplicated cholecystectomy or appendectomy).
• Prior gastrointestinal surgery with sequelae; i.e., obstruction, and/or adhesive peritonitis or known abdominal adhesions.
• Prior open or laparoscopic bariatric surgery.
• Prior surgery of any kind on the esophagus, stomach or any type of hiatal hernia surgery.
• Any inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract including severe (LA Grade C or D) esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, gastric ulceration, duodenal ulceration, cancer or specific inflammation such as Crohn’s disease.
• Potential upper gastrointestinal bleeding conditions such as esophageal or gastric varices, congenital or acquired intestinal telangiectasis, or other congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract such as atresias or stenoses.
• Gastrointestinal stromal tumors, history of premalignant gastric lesions (intestinal metaplasia), history of familial and nan-familial adenomatous syndromes.
• A gastric mass or gastric polyps > 1 cm in size.
• A hiatal hernia > 4cm of axial displacement of the z-line above the diaphragm or severe or intractable gastro-esophageal reflux symptoms.
• A structural abnormality in the esophagus or pharynx such as a stricture or diverticulum that could impede passage of the endoscope.
• Achalasia or any other severe esophageal motility disorder.
• Severe coagulopathy.
• Insulin-dependent diabetes (either Type 1 or Type 2) or a significant likelihood of requiring insulin treatment in the following 12 months or a HgbA1C ≥ 9.
• Subjects with any serious health condition unrelated to their weight that would increase the risk of endoscopy.
• Chronic abdominal pain.
• Motility disorders of the GI tract such as gross esophageal motility disorders, gastroparesis or intractable constipation.
• Hepatic insufficiency or cirrhosis.
• Use of an intragastric device prior to this study due to the increased thickness of the stomach wall preventing effective suturing.
• Active psychological issues preventing participation in a life-style modification program as determined by a psychologist.
• Patients unwilling to participate in an established medically-supervised diet and behavior modification program, with routine medical follow-up.
• Patients receiving daily prescribed treatment with high dose aspirin (> 80mg daily), anti-inflammatory agents, anticoagulants or other gastric irritants.
• Patients who are unable or unwilling to take prescribed proton pump inhibitor medication.
• Patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding.
• Subjects with Severe cardiopulmonary disease or other serious organic disease which might include known history of coronary artery disease, Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, poorly-controlled hypertension, required use of NSAIDs.
• Subjects taking medications on specified hourly intervals that may be affected by changes to gastric emptying, such as anti-seizure or anti-arrhythmic medications.
• Subjects who are taking corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and narcotics.
• Subjects who are taking diet pills.
• Symptomatic congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia or unstable coronary artery disease.
• Pre-existing respiratory disease such as moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring steroids, pneumonia or cancer.
• Diagnosis of autoimmune connective tissue disorder (e.g., lupus, erythematous, scleroderma) or immunocompromised.
• Specific diagnosed genetic disorder such as Prader Willi syndrome.
• Eating disorders including night eating syndrome (NES), bulimia, binge eating disorder, or compulsive overeating.
• Known history of endocrine disorders affecting weight such as uncontrolled hypothyroidism.