Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty is an "Incisionless" weight loss procedure involving a small suturing device attached to the end of a GI endoscope. The endoscopist uses the suturing device to reduce and shorten the size of the patient's stomach by 70-75%. The procedure involves no incisions or scars and does not remove any of the stomach.
How Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Works
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty works by limiting the amount of food that one can eat at one time. In addition, the new anatomy associated with the procedure results in food passing more slowly into the small intestine. This results in the patient feeling full for a longer period of time despite eating much less.
How much weight loss is associated with Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty?
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty has been extensively evaluated. On average, patients who have this procedure will lose about 20% of their total body weight.
Risks
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is done as an outpatient procedure and has shown to be a safe procedure. Pain and nausea may happen for several days after the procedure. These symptoms are usually managed with medicine. While this surgery is not designed to be a temporary procedure, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty can be converted to another bariatric surgery. Combined with lifestyle changes, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty results in about 18% to 20% total body weight loss over one to two years.