Endoscopic Sleeve Surgery
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG)
The Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) is a relatively new procedure for patients wanting weight loss outcomes similar to other surgical weight loss procedures without the additional surgical risks.
The goal of ESG is to reduce the length and width of the stomach to facilitate
weight loss. In ESG, the volume of the stomach is reduced by approximately 70% through the creation of a small diameter sleeve by use of an endoscopic suturing device which shortens the stomach by approximately 10-14cm. The ESG is a minimally invasive procedure which is well tolerated in outpatient clinics.
The procedure can be:
- Performed in less than 2 hours
- Patients are not required to commit to an extended hospital stay
- Patients can resume usual work and lifestyle commitments within 1-3 days following the procedure
- Is a reversible and repeatable procedure
During the ESG, an endoscope, which is a flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it, is used and placed into the stomach through the mouth. Using a stitching device, a sleeve is created to reduce the size of the stomach.
After the procedure, the stomach remains intact but has been stitched from top to bottom leaving a lady finger banana sized stomach which your food will pass through when you eat.
This procedure was devised to endoscopically achieve similar results to that achieved with a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy without the surgical resection of the fundus or body of the stomach. This means that unlike surgery, there is no cutting or stapling, no scarring and no wounds.
The ESG is suitable for patients wanting similar weight loss results to other more invasive procedures without the surgical resection of the stomach. Other patients who would benefit from the procedure include:
- Patients requiring a review of their laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or bypass
- Patients with BMI 25-30kg/m2
- Patients wishing to improve control of existing type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, dyslipidemia or fatty liver disease
- Patients with a history of Reflux/Hiatus Hernia/Barretts Oesophagus
- Patients concerned with the tolerance of surgery or not wanting a permanent procedure.
The procedure is effective as it delays solid food emptying from the stomach and creates earlier satiety from food based meals. As a result, with your smaller stomach, less food is ingested, less energy is consumed and the body is forced to use existing fat stores for fuel leading to significant and long-lasting weight loss.
Interestingly, with the ESG is the response of Grehlin following the procedure. Ghrelin is a hormone released by your stomach to signal hunger to the brain. With weight loss following a procedure, we would usually expect an increase in the production of the hormone Grehlin however, in patients who have undergone an ESG, there has been a trend towards a decrease of Grehlin concentrations throughout a post-meal test indicating there is some appetite
suppression following an ESG procedure (1).
For patients with the known metabolic syndrome, the ESG has proven results in achieving resolution and/or improvements in metabolic markers. For example, patients with existing diabetes who have undergone the ESG have shown an increase in their insulin sensitivity and therefore are requiring smaller doses of medication in order to manage their blood glucose levels (2). There has also been recorded a reduction in blood pressure, triglycerides and liver function and these results achieved are comparable to the results achieved from other surgical weight loss
procedures (2). A reduction in comorbidities is an important result and highlights the fact that this procedure may have an impact on long-term outcomes including morbidity and mortality.
The ESG procedure has a very low complication rate. Most complications can be managed with medication and/or follow up gastroscopy.
To optimise weight loss throughout your journey, you are required to change your eating style significantly. The dietitian, as part of the weight loss team supporting you, will assist you in all stages of your journey.
Information Sessions
Why not attend one of our information sessions and hear from the support team and past patients about your options. The sessions start at 6 pm and usually run for around 90 minutes. To reserve a seat for you and any guests, please visit our registration page or call (07) 5598 0500.
| Information Sessions | Next Event Date |
|---|---|
| July 31st, 2018 |
*Disclaimer: Results may vary for each person.