If you are tired of the battle with weight gain and have more than 30 lbs to reach your goal, you may consider undergoing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) as a weight loss solution.
It’s a simple metabolic and bariatric procedure that reduces the size of your stomach by 70-80% to aid weight loss. The procedure is similar to having an endoscopy. The surgeon inserts an endoscope, a flexible tube with a suturing device, down your esophagus to your stomach. The surgeon then places stitches to reduce the size of your stomach.
How Much Weight Can I Lose?
ESG results in significant weight loss with fewer side effects than more invasive weight loss surgeries.
Short-term results are visible within three months. You can expect 15-20% excess weight loss during this time. Studies show that significant weight loss will occur during the first 18 months post-procedure, but the benefits continue long-term when combined with coaching and nutritional support. After two years, your weight should stabilize.
You’ll follow a special diet for the first month after the procedure. In the first week, you’ll stick to a liquid diet. Then for the following three weeks, you’ll eat only soft foods low in sugar and fat. You can start eating small portions of solid food after a month.
With proper nutritional support, you can expect about 60-70% excess weight loss overall. Results vary from patient to patient, but the goal is to remove the weight and keep it off.
Comorbidity reduction is another benefit often seen in those with diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea.
Benefits of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Gastric sleeve surgery is a highly effective, safe weight loss procedure with minimal downtime so that you can get back to daily life more quickly.
Effective Weight Loss
Since most patients experience about 20% total body weight loss within the first year post-procedure, ESG is one of the best bariatric procedures for long-term weight loss treatment for obesity.
Minimally Invasive
Compared to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), which requires small incisions around the stomach and cutting/removal of a portion of the stomach, with ESG, there are no incisions. Additionally, because it’s less invasive, ESG poses less risk of complications than LSG, increasing its safety profile.
Quick Procedure
When you undergo this endoscopic procedure at our Tampa aesthetic surgery & weight loss clinic, it takes only one hour to complete. Even though we use general anesthesia, this is an outpatient procedure. So you can return home the same day.
Fast Recovery
You can return to work within 1-3 days after the procedure. Compared to other invasive bariatric surgeries, there is no hospital stay.
Reduced Health Issues
ESG can also help reduce the risk of weight-related health issues, such as:
Heart disease
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Osteoarthritis
Sleep apnea
Stroke
Type 2 diabetes
Safety and Side-Effects to Consider
No medical procedure is entirely free from side effects, including the ESG procedure. There is a minimal risk of the following:
Internal bleeding
Leaks
Pulmonary embolism
Ulcers
Below are some other potential considerations to know before undergoing ESG.
It’s Permanent
While endoscopic sleeve revisions are possible, ESG is typically irreversible, meaning you must commit to dietary and lifestyle changes to maximize results. If you experience weight gain or other side effects after the procedure, you can follow up with your surgeon about your options.
Schedule a Consultation
While the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty results can vary from patient to patient, numerous clinical trials have shown that the results are significant for obese patients.
Please schedule a consultation with us at Formation to learn more about ESG and see if you’re a good candidate for the procedure. We take your healthcare seriously and want you to feel confident in your body with any one of our weight loss solutions.
