A weight loss procedure that is said to help overweight or obese patients lose up to 30 pounds in a single month. The procedure involves sewing a postage-stamp size piece of rough plastic onto the patient's tongue, making it impossible or very painful for the person to eat solid food. The plastic, made of marlex which is usually used during hernia repair, is attached to the tongue with six stitches and left in place for up to one month. The patch must be removed after one month because otherwise the tongue starts to grow around and into it. As part of the procedure, the patient is asked to drink a special 800-calorie liquid diet which causes rapid weight loss.

The procedure was developed by Dr. Nikolas Chugay, whose California clinic is the only place in the United States that offers the surgery, which has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The procedure has become a new fad in weight loss, but experts say it's also highly risky for causing infections and other complications.