Individuals seeking a weight loss solution can now opt for a minimally invasive procedure that is
a variation of the most popular bariatric surgery.
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy, in which a portion
of the stomach is removed through small incisions, has been the preferred bariatric procedure for
several years. The new procedure, however, accomplishes the same goals without any incisions.
The new procedure is called endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. During this procedure, a flexible
tube called an endoscope is inserted through the mouth and threaded down the esophagus to
the stomach. The endoscope is fitted with a mechanical suturing device. Once the device is in the
stomach, the physician manipulates the endoscope to apply stitches in the stomach to reduce the
stomach size by resizing it into the shape of a sleeve.
By sealing off about 80 percent of the stomach, patients are limited in how much they can eat.
They feel full sooner and will feel full for a longer period of time.
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is an option for individuals who don’t qualify for traditional
bariatric surgery, such as vertical sleeve gastrectomy hoặc là Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. It’s suited for
people with a body mass index between 30 and 35.
“Doctors who treat obesity have long searched for minimally invasive alternatives to
traditional bariatric surgery, which requires cutting through skin and tissue to alter or remove
parts of the anatomy,” says Dr. Kenneth Chang, executive director of the Sức khỏe UCI
H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center. “No incisions are made in these new
endoscopic procedures. The endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a good treatment option for those
patients who are struggling with obesity and its associated health risks but were previously
unable to have surgery.”
A number of other weight loss options are available through the UCI Health bariatric
program, including several new procedures. A gastric balloon procedure was recently approved by
the Food and Drug Administration. One or two balloons are inserted into the stomach through
the mouth with an endoscope and are inflated with saline solution. Left in place for six months,
the balloons make patients feel full sooner. The procedure is an option for patients with a BMI less
than 35.
The recently approved VBLOC therapy involves a pacemaker-like device that’s implanted in the
skin of the abdominal wall. The device is linked to electrodes that are surgically placed through
small incisions at the trunk of the vagus nerve. Periodically blocking vagus nerve signals reduces
the desire to eat.
The UCI Health program is accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation
and Quality Improvement Program and is the only center on the West Coast to be named a Boeing
Center of Excellence for bariatric surgery.
Learn more about weight loss procedures at ucirvinehealth/bariatric.
— UCI Health Marketing & Communications
Featured in UCI Health Live Well Magazine Summer 2016