I'm Considering an Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty: What Do I Need to Know?

When it comes to weight loss procedures, there’s no shortage of options. Eric Ibegbu, MD, and our team of experts here at Atlantic Medical Group focus on both nonsurgical and minimally invasive weight loss solutions to help you reach your weight loss goals without surgery. 

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is one of the many options we offer here in our Kinston and Jacksonville, North Carolina, offices. ESG is a minimally invasive procedure that we perform on an outpatient basis without any incisions. 

If you’re considering an ESG, here’s what you need to know.

What is involved with endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty?

The goal of an ESG is to reduce your stomach size to help you control your portions, feel satisfied sooner, and lose weight. Unlike other bariatric surgeries that remove parts of your stomach, nothing is cut or removed during an ESG. 

Instead, Dr. Ibegbu sutures your stomach from the inside to reduce its size. None of this requires any long incisions. Instead, our team inserts an endoscope through your mouth and into your stomach. An endoscope is a long tube that contains a camera, light, and special tools The scope allows Dr. Ibegbu to reduce the size of your stomach by up to 80%. 

Because ESG is an outpatient procedure, you don’t need a lengthy hospital stay. Most of our patients return home the same day.

Can you still eat normal food?

After your surgery, your stomach needs time to heal from the sutures but also time to adjust to its new size. We provide you with specific guidance on your post-procedure dietary needs, but here’s a general overview of what you can expect:

• Clear liquid diet for a few days after your ESG
• A transition period from clear liquids to pureed foods to soft chopped foods 
• A maintenance phase when you can eat normal food

After ESG, your stomach can accommodate smaller meals, but due to the decreased intake of food (and therefore nutrients), you need nutritional supplements to ensure your body receives the nutrients it needs. 

Is endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty right for you?

Are you thinking about ESG? You might consider this procedure if you:

• Struggle to achieve your designed weight loss even with diet and exercise 
• Don’t meet the criteria for bariatric surgery
• Don’t want traditional bariatric surgery
• Have a body mass index (BMI) between 30-40 
• Are committed to the weight loss program, including taking daily nutritional supplements, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly 

During your consultation, Dr. Ibegbu reviews your health history, discusses your weight loss goals, and explains all of your options. Even if ESG isn’t right for you, we offer many other solutions 一 including several types of gastric balloons 一 that may work better for you.

How much weight loss can you expect?

Weight loss results can vary based on your commitment to adopting a healthy lifestyle, but studies show that ESG is effective for weight loss. On average, people who had ESG lost 31% of their excess weight at the one-month mark, 44% at the three-month mark, 53% at the six-month mark, and 59% at the 12-month mark.

What are the benefits of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty?

There are many reasons to consider ESG, especially when compared with traditional bariatric surgery. This procedure:

• Is nonsurgical
• Is incisionless 
• Doesn’t leave long scars 
• Is reversible (your stomach is only sutured, not removed or cut away)

Additionally, recovery time for ESG is relatively short at about 2-4 days compared to a few weeks for bariatric surgery. 

If you’re considering endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, don’t hesitate to book a consultation. Schedule a visit at our Jacksonville and Kinston, North Carolina, office or review this page to learn more if you live out of state and would like to schedule a consultation.