http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...ires_no_knife/

Brigham and Women's Hospital, in a first-of-its kind medical trial, has performed a weight-loss procedure that does not require any cutting, offering the possibility of a safer, less traumatic operation to help address the nation's obesity epidemic.

It is particularly promising for the heaviest patients - those who may have hundreds of pounds to lose - for whom traditional surgery is especially risky, said Dr. Christopher Thompson, director of bariatric endoscopy at Brigham and a principal researcher in a 20-patient clinical trial that is just getting underway.