Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery alternative, Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty

Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery alternative: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty

Gastric sleeve is a bariatric weight-loss procedure.

It is a surgical produce that is performed on patients that are overweight or obese. 

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 and above are the right candidates to undergo a gastric sleeve.

Patients with health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or heart diseases and with a lower BMI of 35 to 40 may also be suitable to undergo the procedure.

Gastric sleeve is all about removing or cutting out a larger portion of the stomach, up to 75% of the stomach.

A smaller portion of the stomach is left for food intake.

This greatly reduces the amount of food that the patient is able to eat because the stomach can only take a little amount of food.

Excess absorption of calories and nutrients into the body is what leads to overweight or obesity. 

Due to the reduction in the amount of food the patient is able to eat, the amount of calories and nutrients the patient absorb into the body is greatly reduced.

The significant reduction of calories and nutrients absorbed into the body leads to weight loss.

Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty, a better alternative to gastric sleeve

A better alternative to gastric sleeve is known as endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a better alternative to gastric sleeve because of its many benefits over gastric sleeve.

What is Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty?

Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) is a non-surgical weight-loss procedure.

Patients with a body mass index of 30 and above are ideal candidates to undergo the procedure.

It is non-surgical because there is no incision made during the procedure. 

It entails the placement of sutures into the stomach through an endoscope that is inserted down to the stomach via the throat.

The sutures that are placed into the stomach then shrink or constrict the stomach, reducing the stomach size by up to 75%.

The reduction in the size of the stomach limits the amount of food the stomach can take.

The hunger hormone known as Ghrelin is also reduced which causes the patient not to feel hungry for a longer period of time.

The reduction in the amount of food the patient is able to eat lead to a reduction in the amount of calories and nutrients that are absorbed into the body.

The reduction in calories and nutrients absorbed into the body lead to weight loss.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty helps to improve health conditions such as high blood pressure, gastroesophageal reflux disease, type 2 diabetes, severe sleep apnea, heart diseases and stroke.

Who is an ideal candidate for Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty?

To be an ideal candidate for ESG, you should:

• Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and above.
• Not have any stomach surgery before.
• Not have gastrointestinal bleeding or history of gastrointestinal blessing.
• Have tried physical exercises to reduce your weight but it is not yielding any result.
• Not want any incisions or scars on your body.
• Be above 18years old.

Preparation for Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty

Before undergoing an ESG, your doctor will screen you to know if you are an ideal candidate for the procedure and if it is the best option for you.

If you are an ideal candidate, you will be given specific instructions on the preparation for the procedure.

You may need to undergo some lab tests and examinations before the procedure.

You may be given specifications on the type of foods and drinks you should be eating and drinking.

You may be asked to engage in a physical activity program or special preparatory exercises. 

How Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty is done

At the commencement of the procedure, you will lie down on your back on a procedure bed in the operation room.

You will be given general anesthesia to make you sleep or unconscious all through the duration of the procedure.

Your doctor will then insert a tiny flexible tube known as an endoscope through your throat down to your stomach.

A tiny camera is attached to the front end of the endoscope with which the doctor views the inside of the stomach from a monitor or screen.

Your doctor will then place about 12 sutures inside your stomach through the endoscope.

The sutures shrink or constrict the walls of the stomach, thereby reducing the size of the stomach.

The reduction in the size of the stomach could be up to 75%.

The stomach will then take the form of a banana or a tube-like form.

The great reduction in the size of the stomach leads to a reduction in the amount of food that the stomach can contain.

This leads to a reduction in the amount of food you are able to eat and invariably a reduction in the amount of calories and nutrients you absorb into the body.

The reduction in the amount of calories and nutrients you absorb leads to weight loss.

The procedure takes about 90 minutes to be completed.

After ESG procedure

After the procedure is completed, you will be taken to a recovery room where you will be awakened and monitored.

You may be allowed to go back home that same day if there are no complications but if there are complications, you may need to stay in the hospital for a day or more.

Come along to the hospital with someone that will drive you back home.

You are not allowed to drive for some days after the procedure.

You won’t be allowed to eat or drink anything for about eight hours after the procedure.

After eight hours, you can be allowed to start taking liquid diet until about two weeks or more depending on how fast you recover.

You will then move to semi-solid food after two weeks to solid foods after a month.

You will have to follow-up on your medical check-ups and also meet with your dietician, psychologist and other medical teams. 

The reduction in weight happens over time and you must be willing to commit to healthy lifestyle changes.

You must engage in regular exercises and eat healthy diets.  

Results after an Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty

The amount of weight you lose depends on the extent to which you commit to healthy lifestyle changes.

The means how well you engage in regular exercises, the type of food you eat and the quantity of food you eat.

Even though the size of your stomach has been reduced, you also need to make a conscious effort not to eat too much food.

This will reduce the pressure in your stomach and prevent it from expanding.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty has been known to cause significant weight loss in people who have undergone the procedure.

A study was conducted on people with an average BMI of 38 who undergone ESG. They were able to lose about 39 pounds (17.8 kilograms) after 6 months.

They lost about 42 pounds (19 kilograms) after 12 months.

Another study conducted on people with an average BMI of 45.

They were able to lose about 73 pounds (33 kilograms) within 6 months. 

Advantages of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) over Gastric Sleeve

• The risk and complications associated with ESG are relatively lower than the risk involved in gastric sleeve surgery. 
• The pain associated with ESG is very minimal as compared with the pain associated with gastric sleeve.
• The procedure of ESG does not involve any incisions. 
• There is no cutting of the skin during ESG, hence there are no scars after the procedure.
• The procedure of gastric sleeve surgery entails incisions. 
• The patient’s stomach needs to be cut open for the surgical procedure to be carried out. After the procedure, the patient is left with scars from the incision.
• Gastric sleeve surgery is generally costlier than ESG due to the complicated nature of the surgery. 
• Patients that undergo gastric sleeve surgery usually incur a higher cost for the procedure than patients who undergo ESG.
• After the ESG procedure, patients can go back home that same day. 
• Patients that undergone gastric sleeve generally are required to stay at the hospital for more days.
• With ESG procedure, patients recover faster and can resume work within 2-3 days. 

The recovery rate of gastric sleeve is lower and patients do not recover fast.

Patients can only resume work after 1 or 2 weeks. 

Side effects or complications 

The side effects or complications after undergoing an ESG are generally minimal.

Unlike Gastric sleeve, where the risks and side effects are high, the risks and side effects of ESG are very minimal.

ESG is a safe procedure and has been a very favorable procedure since it was discovered.

There has been no record of death since the discovery of the procedure.

The possible side effects recorded are pain and nausea which patients experience for several days after the procedure. 

The pain and nausea can be treated with medications and usually stop after a few days.

Other side effects include cramping and vomiting.

These minor side effects can be easily managed and treated with medications.

There has been no record of major risks or side effects.

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