A first-of-its-kind treatment for chronic constipation has patients swallow a capsule that vibrates to stimulate the intestines.
The capsule, called Vibrant, was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in August and this week became available for doctors.
In the intestines, the vibrations are intended to stimulate specialized nerve cells called mechanosensory cells, which in turn trigger undulating muscle contractions that help squeeze food through the gut.
“There are little vibrations for three seconds on, three seconds off,” said Cathy Collis, chief commercial officer for Vibrant Gastro, which is based in Israel but has offices in the United States.
The pills are about the size of an oblong multivitamin.