Endoscopic Weight Loss

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a newer type of minimally invasive weight-loss procedure. In endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, a suturing device is inserted into your throat and down to your stomach. We will then place suture in your stomach to make it smaller. This procedure may be an option if you’re significantly overweight — a body mass index of 30 or more — and diet and exercise haven’t worked for you.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty leads to significant weight loss. It helps you lose weight by limiting how much you can eat. And the procedure is minimally invasive, reducing the risk of operative complications and allowing quick return to daily activities.

Like other weight-loss procedures, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty requires commitment to a healthier lifestyle. You need to make permanent healthy changes to your diet and get regular exercise to help ensure the long-term success of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

Why it’s done?

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is performed to help you lose weight and potentially lower your risk of serious weight-related health problems, including:

Heart disease and stroke
High blood pressure
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
Sleep apnea
Type 2 diabetes
Osteoarthritis (joint pain)

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and other weight-loss procedures or surgeries are typically done only after you’ve tried to lose weight by improving your diet and exercise habits.

Who it’s for?

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is available to people whose body mass index (BMI) is above 30, who haven’t been successful in maintaining weight loss with lifestyle modification alone, and who don’t qualify or wish to pursue traditional bariatric surgery.

But endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty isn’t for everyone who is overweight. A screening process helps us to see if the procedure might be beneficial for you. And you must be willing to commit to healthy lifestyle changes, regular medical follow-up and participate in behavioural therapy.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty isn’t appropriate for anyone who has a large hiatal hernia, or a condition associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, such as gastritis or peptic ulcer disease.

How to prepare?

If you qualify for endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, our team will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for your procedure. You may need to have various lab tests and exams before surgery. You may have restrictions on eating, drinking and which medications you can take. You may also be required to start a physical activity program.

It’s helpful to plan for your recovery after the procedure. For instance, arrange for a companion or someone else to help at home. Recovery from endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty generally takes only a few days.

What you can expect

During the procedure

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is done in the endoscopy unit as an outpatient procedure. General anaesthesia is used for the procedure, so you’ll be unconscious.

The procedure is done using a flexible tube with a camera and an endoscopic suturing device attached (endoscope). The endoscope is inserted down your throat into the stomach. The tiny camera allows us for operating the endoscope (endoscopist) to see and operate inside your stomach without making incisions in your abdomen.

Using the endoscope, then we will place suture in the stomach. The sutures change the structure of your stomach, leaving it shaped like a tube. This restricts the amount of food you can eat because you feel fuller sooner.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty takes about 60 to 90 minutes.

After the procedure

After the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, you’ll awaken in a recovery room, where medical staff monitors you for any complications.

After recovering from sedation, most people go home the same day. Some people might require a short admission to the hospital for one day or less for observation after the procedure.

After the procedure, you generally won’t be allowed to eat for a few hours. Then, you’ll be allowed to start a liquid diet, which you need to continue for at least two weeks.

Eventually, you’ll move on to semisolid foods, and then to a regular healthy diet.

Endoscopic Weight Loss