Due to the limited efficacy of most antidiabetic drugs at present and patients’ poor compliance with treatment

new therapeutic approaches to type 2 diabetes are still being explored. This review presents a newly developed system for the treatment of type 2 diabetes with overweight or obesity. It includes an implantable pulse generator and leads

and the leads are implanted into the gastric seromuscular layer and transmit electrical stimulation from the generator. The system can discern and automatically regulate the spontaneous electrical activity of the stomach

enhance the contractility of the stomach

and thereby augment the afferent signals of the vagus nerve; when the signals are delivered to the regulatory center of the brain

a typical early gastrointestinal reaction after a full meal will be generated. Current clinical trials have shown that the system can improve the blood glucose level with the least dependence on patients’ compliance

and has a low risk of hypoglycemia; at the same time

blood pressure and lipids are improved as the weight of patients decreases. This system can be a safe and reliable alternative therapy for the obese patients who are unwilling to use insulin or undergo weight loss surgery.