at the target site application_number US 55400509 A description smooth muscle tumors of the stomach also known as u201c stromal cell tumors u201d typically originate in the smooth musculature of the gastric wall through clinical studies it has been determined that when stromal cell tumors occur in the antrum and particularly in the anterior wall of the antrum the tumors interrupt the normal contractions of both the circular and longitudinal bands of muscles within the gastric cavity wall this interruption in muscular contractions slows stomach emptying resulting in a loss of appetite the present invention provides a method for treating obesity which simulates the effects of a stomach cell tumor in order to disrupt and slow gastric emptying in the present invention one or more devices are implanted between the mucosal and muscularis layers of the gastric cavity wall to disrupt the normal gastro muscular movements the devices may be implanted transesophageally in a minimally invasive procedure using a conventional endoscope with an optical viewing device alternatively the devices may be implanted exogastrically in a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure the clinical effect of the implants will be to increase the time the patient feels satiated after eating thereby decreasing the need and desire to eat and reducing the overall caloric intake of the patient methods of implanting different device embodiments will now be described using a transesophageal procedure with an endoscope 20 inserted transorally into the stomach cavity a needle assembly is passed through the endoscope to the intended location of the implant to produce optimum results the implant is placed in the antrum portion of the stomach using the needle assembly 22 as shown in fig1 the mucosal layer 24 is penetrated with the needle tip at the intended implant location with the.