WHAT IS GFMA?

Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation

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GFMA (Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation)

The Clinical Research Team at True You Weight Loss is dedicated to advancing patient care through hypothesis-driven inquiry, rigorous studies, and peer-reviewed data. The latest innovation in bariatric endoscopy is GFMA (gastric fundal mucosal ablation). Discover how True You Weight Loss is pioneering this technique to provide new minimally-invasive weight loss options for our patients.

What is GFMA?

GMFA is a non-surgical technique in which a gastroenterologist ablates (or burns) the mucosa (or surface layer) of the top part of the stomach (called the fundus) from the inside of the stomach using an endoscope.

What is the role of the gastric fundus?

The fundus has two important roles in appetite. First, the mucosa (surface layer) of the fundus makes 80-90% of the body’s ghrelin. Ghrelin is our hunger hormone, and the longer it has been since we’ve eaten a meal, the more ghrelin is secreted from the fundus, causing us to become hungrier. Second, the fundus expands when we eat a meal, serving as a storage reservoir for food. As the fundus fills, it causes us to get full or satisfied from a meal, something we call satiation.

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How Is GFMA Performed?

This is a question we were very interested in, so our team at True You conducted a first-in-human study of GFMA in adults with obesity. In the weeks and months after a patient undergoes GFMA, the fundus of the stomach undergoes a remodeling process, all the way down to the cellular level. This process has major benefits for patients seeking to curb their appetite, including:

Ghrelin levels decrease

Ghrelin production was decreased by 40-50% in both the tissue of the stomach and in the bloodstream by 3 months after the procedure. This offers similar benefits to a surgical sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy), where the fundus is surgically removed - all without the risks or side effects of surgery. Ghrelin levels remained low over the next year.

Stomach capacity decreases

After GFMA, patients’ stomach capacity decreased by 45%. This is because the ablation causes the fundus to contract and scar down, reducing the size of the stomach.

Appetite control improves

After GFMA, patients’ hunger and cravings decreased, and their confidence in their ability to resist overeating increased.

Rapid, sustainable weight loss

In the six months following GFMA, patients lost an average of 20 lbs.

Results: GMFA Shown to Reduce Hunger

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Is GFMA safe?

GFMA has proven to be a safe and effective technique; in our two separate clinical trials of GFMA, there were zero complications. Because there is a theoretical risk of stomach ulcer, GMFA is accompanied by 12 weeks of anti-ulcer medication and avoidance of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen, meloxicam).

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BEGIN LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE, TODAY

If you are interested in learning more about GFMA and its role in our program, please schedule a free, virtual consultation to speak with our medical experts.

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1 Arakawa R, Febres G, Cheng B, et al. Prospective study of gut hormone and metabolic changes after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. PLoS One 2020;15:e0236133.
2 Based on two validated questionnaires: DAILY-EATS and Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire-Short Form (WEL-SF).