Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty

A newer type of weight-loss procedure is called endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. 

In this procedure, it reduces the size of your stomach using an endoscopic suturing device without using surgery and this procedure is usually an option if you are overweight (a body mass index of 30 or more) or if exercise and diet are not working for you.

This can lead to significant weight loss by limiting how much you eat. This procedure is minimally invasive reducing the risk for complications.

You will need to change your lifestyle and make healthy changes to your diet as well as exercising regularly so you can have a long term success of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

Here are the most common reasons to undergo an endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

This procedure can help you lose weight and lower your risk of having serious weight-related health problems such as:

• heart disease and stroke
• sleep apnea
• high blood pressure
• gastroesophageal reflux disease
• type 2 diabetes

After you have tried to lose weight by improving your diet and exercise habits, this procedure and other weight-loss procedures or surgeries will be suggested by your doctor.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is cheaper and less invasive compare to the other forms of bariatric surgery.

Along with undergoing an endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty comes potential risks.

This procedure has shown a favorable safety profile in early studies on endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

Several days after the procedure, you may experience nausea and pain which can be managed by pain and nausea medications and most people will feel better after two days.

This procedure can also be reversed and converted to a bariatric surgery even if it is not designed to be a temporary procedure.

There are still questions regarding this procedure especially its risk and long-term effectiveness because this is new and not yet widely used.

Your doctor may instruct you how to prepare for the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty procedure.

You may undergo various lab tests and exams before the surgery and you may have restrictions on eating and drinking or which medications you can take.

Your doctor may also suggest physical activity program. It is also helpful if you will plan ahead of the procedure and the recovery will take up to two days.

Here you can find out what to expect from your endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. This procedure is done at the hospital and general anesthesia will be used.

Your doctor will use an endoscope which is a flexible tube with an endoscopic suturing device and a camera that is attached and it will be inserted down your throat into the stomach.

The endoscopist will see through the tiny camera and he will operate inside your stomach without making any cuts in your abdomen.

The doctor will place approximately 12 sutures in the stomach and the sutures will change the structure of your stomach leaving it shaped like a tube.

A number of calories your body absorbs will be restricted because of this. This procedure will take about 90 minutes and you will be monitored by medical staff to check for complications.

In some cases, patients will be advised to go home on the same day of the procedure but some may be required to stay at the hospital for about one to two days for observation.

After the procedure, you will not be able to eat for eight hours and you will first start with a liquid diet that you can continue for at least two weeks.

Your doctor will then tell you that you can have semi-solid foods after four weeks and then a regular healthy diet.

After the procedure, you will have medical check-ups and will have an appointment with your psychologist and nutritionist.

As a result, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty can lead to significant weight loss.

An average BMI around 38 found that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty led to an average weight loss of 39 pounds (17.8 kilograms) after six months, and then weight loss was 42 pounds (19 kilograms) after 12 months according to a recent study.

In a study of people with an average BMI of about 45, the procedure had resulted in an average weight loss of about 37 pounds or 33 kilograms within the first six months.

This procedure may improve conditions often related to being overweight including:

• stroke or heart disease
• gastroesophageal reflux disease
• type 2 diabetes
• severe sleep apnea
• high blood pressure

It is possible that you will not lose enough weight or regain weight due to not following the recommended lifestyle changes.

You will need to make permanent healthy changes in your diet and exercise regularly to avoid regaining weight.