BEAM for Weight Loss - a Pilot Study

Inclusion criteria

• BMI equal or more than 30kg/m2 (27.5kg/m2 for Chinese or South Asian) to 40kg/m2, or BMI equal or more than 40kg/m2 and patient is either high risk for surgery or unwilling to undergo surgery, AND
• failed standard obesity therapy of diet, exercise, behavior modification, and pharmacologic agents either alone or in combination

Exclusion criteria

• Previous upper GI surgery (e.g. bariatric surgery, anti-reflux surgery; gastrectomy; esophageal surgery)
• Gastroparesis
• Active smoking
• An ongoing or a history of treatment with opioids in the last 12 months prior to enrollment
• Previous pyloromyotomy or pyloroplasty
• Gastrointestinal obstruction
• Use of any medication that may interfere with weight loss or gastric emptying
• Severe coagulopathy
• Esophageal or gastric varices and/or portal hypertensive gastropathy
• Underlying uncontrolled endocrine problem that leads to obesity. (e.g. Hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, eating disorder etc.)
• Any inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract (including but not limited to severe (LA Grade C or D) esophagitis, active gastric ulceration, active duodenal ulceration, or specific inflammation such as Crohn's disease)
• Malignancy
• Pregnant or breast feeding
• Patients not fit for general anesthesia
• ASA grade IV or V
• Mental or psychiatric disorder; Drug or alcohol addiction
• Other cases deemed by the examining physician as unsuitable for safe treatment
• Refusal to participate