Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Is Safe and Effective

For some time, the most frequently used forms of weight loss surgery have been gastric bypass surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, and lap band surgery. And for some a long while, the most employed form of weight loss surgery has been gastric bypass surgery. But sleeve gastrectomy, by some accounts, is rapidly becoming "the most commonly performed bariatric surgery worldwide." And a new form of sleeve gastrectomy, called endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), is gaining attention. A recent study has determined that the technique is safe and effective.

Endoscopic procedures are performed by first inserting a flexible endoscope into the gastrointestinal tract, and a suturing device is used to reduce the size of the stomach. There are usually no surgical incisions associated with endoscopic procedures. Thus, these surgeries are minimally invasive.

The above mentioned study interrogated publications on Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochran and other sources for ESG related research. Fifteen hundred and forty-two patients from nine studies were looked at for the analysis. The investigators analyzed the weight loss and safety of the patients. And the investigators found that the weight loss was 11.85% at six months and 14.47% weight loss at 12 months. While there were adverse events, 72% of the events were mild, and only 1% of the events were severe. The investigators concluded that "although we still view conventional surgical sleeve gastrectomy as the gold standard, ESG can be considered an alternative, since ESG is effective with minimal risk."

Other studies have shown that ESG should be given consideration for weight loss. In one study, done by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, it was determined that ESG is very effective at reducing body weight and could be a good alternative weight loss surgery for some patients. And another study suggested that ESG is safe, effective and reproducible.

 

Therefore, ESG should be added to the arsenal of weight loss approaches. It is a procedure that providers should become familiar with, so that they can advise their patients. 

 

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