What Happens During the Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) Procedure?

Weight loss surgery helps many people reach a healthy weight. However, only some people who need to lose weight qualify for these surgical procedures. Or, they may have difficulty committing to the permanency that comes with weight loss surgery.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a minimally invasive weight loss procedure that can help you lose weight like weight loss surgery, but without permanently changing the size of your stomach. 

At Transform Bariatrics in Greenbelt and Rockville, Maryland, our skilled bariatrician, Dr. Hitesh P. Amin, performs this life-changing procedure. 

Like many patients, you may wonder what happens during the ESG procedure. Here, we want to explain.

About endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a minimally invasive weight loss procedure. Like other weight loss procedures, ESG helps you lose weight by reducing the size of your stomach, so you fill up fast and eat less. 

However, instead of surgically removing a portion of your stomach, we use stitches to section off the stomach, creating a sleeve-like pouch 70% smaller than your normal stomach—no incisions or cutting with ESG, only sutures.

Good candidates for ESG are people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher who cannot reach their goal weight with diet and exercise. Traditional weight loss surgery is only recommended for people with class III obesity, a BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher with weight-related health problems.

The procedure

ESG is less invasive than weight loss surgery, but we use general anesthesia so you’re asleep during the procedure. We insert an endoscope — a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera — into your mouth and advance it to your stomach. 

We insert a suturing tool through the endoscope and stitch the opposite walls of the stomach together to create a smaller stomach pouch. The procedure takes 60 to 90 minutes, and you go home afterward.

Life after ESG

You need to follow a strict diet protocol during the first month of your ESG so your stomach has time to heal. You start on a liquid diet, then to soft foods, advancing to regular food as tolerated. Because your stomach is smaller, you must limit portion sizes as outlined in the diet protocol.

Weight loss results vary, but you can lose 12 to 20% of your excess weight in the first year. Eating a balanced diet and regular exercise helps you maintain your new weight.

You can reach your weight goals with the expert support you need. We offer many options, including medical weight loss, minimally invasive procedures like ESG and the gastric balloon, and traditional weight loss procedures like the gastric sleeve and gastric bypass. 

Are you ready to take control of your weight and health? Call our office today or request an appointment online.