Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) is an incisionless, endoscopic procedure that leaves no scars. ESG treatment can help you achieve lasting weight loss results.*
Following ESG, or any weight loss procedure, it is important to follow a strict diet and exercise programme to help achieve your personal goals.
This should be supported by a team of specialist clinicians including dieticians, nutritionists, psychologists and exercise trainers that can tailor the programme to suit your needs.
Who is Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty for?
ESG is indicated for adults with obesity who have not been able to lose weight or maintain weight loss through diet and exercise alone.
The endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty procedure may particularly benefit people:
- Whom invasive bariatric surgery would be considered high risk
- Who decline bariatric surgery because of the associated risks and complications
Talk to your doctor about whether you may be a good candidate for this endoscopic procedure.
How Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty works
ESG reduces the size of your stomach without incisions or scars using a small suturing device attached to a camera that passes through your mouth into your stomach while you are asleep. A specially-trained doctor uses the device to sew your stomach into a smaller shape, so you eat less and feel full faster.
What to expect from the ESG procedure?
Following the ESG procedure, you’ll feel fuller when eating smaller portions. This helps to develop healthier eating habits moving forward, so you can enjoy sustained results.
Before the procedure
After meeting with your doctor and nurses, you will be given medication to help you sleep and feel comfortable during the procedure.
Coming home
In a study, most patients went home the same day. However, there may be some discomfort from the procedure. Do not drive or operate motorized vehicles or equipment the rest of the day. Avoid alcoholic beverages. You may resume your activity as soon as you are comfortable. You will be given detailed instructions from your Doctor following your procedure.
First four weeks
To help you adapt to the procedure and reduced stomach size, you will be on a liquid diet for the first 2 weeks. You will then be able to progress to pureed and soft foods for a further two weeks. By week four, you should be able to move to regular solid foods, but with smaller portions.
After the first month
With less room in your stomach, you should begin to feel full faster and lose weight. The procedure helps you develop better eating habits and change your lifestyle for lasting results.
Proven results with ESG
The ESG procedure can help patients achieve lasting results. It’s an exciting option for those who have not experienced success with diet or exercise alone and are hesitant to pursue more invasive weight loss procedures.
ESG patient story: Meet Joanna
“Since having the procedure, I feel like I don't really have to try to keep the weight off anymore.”
Listen to Joanna’s story as she shares her transformative weight loss journey with Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty.
ESG FAQs
According to a clinical study, patients lose an average of 13.6% of their body weight 12 months after undergoing the ESG procedure. Results will vary by person.
The sutures are made of durable, permanent material that does not dissolve. Over time, there will be scarring and bridging tissue to maintain the reduced stomach size and sleeve-like shape. In the event the sutures break, or the sleeve-like shape stretches, retightening can be performed.
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal symptoms such as:
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Burping
- Diarrhea.
These symptoms typically resolve within 30-60 days.
All procedures have risk. Patients should talk with their doctor and understand all risks before having any procedure.
ESG is for adults with obesity (defined as a BMI>30) who have not been able to lose weight or maintain weight loss through diet and exercise alone. Patients who are unable to have an upper endoscopy, are pregnant, are using certain types of blood-thinning medications or have malignant tissue large hiatal hernia, potentially bleeding gastric lesions, or eating disorders, are not eligible for the procedure. Talk to your doctor about whether you are a candidate for ESG.
Common weight-related health conditions
Obesity is defined when you have a BMI of 30 or higher. Studies have found associations between increasing BMIs and the development of various chronic health conditions. The BMI or thresholds beyond which comorbidity incidence can be accurately detected, are unknown.2
Obesity is associated with numerous comorbidities, including:
- hypertension
- hyperlipidemia
- type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
- coronary artery disease (CAD).3
A major source of concern with this increasing prevalence are the numerous potential adverse outcomes triggered by obesity-associated comorbidities.4
The literature is rich in publications that highlight the implications and dramatic diseases associated with the current steady worldwide increase in the prevalence of obesity.
NICE guidance on ESG
The Health Survey for England 2021 estimates that 26% of adults are living with obesity, which is linked to premature death and other health challenges such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension, according to the National Health Service (NHS).
The NICE*s guidance on offering ESG as an option for weight loss in the UK’s NHS is a significant step in expanding the patient’s choice beyond drugs and bariatric surgery.
UK patients living with obesity can now access minimally invasive treatment for weight loss on the NHS thanks to new guidelines from the NICE. This is exciting news for clinicians and patients to have another weight loss treatment option when obesity rates are rising.
For more information, visit here the NICE guidelines Overview.
*National Institute for Health and Care Excellence