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Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty: Is It Right for You?

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Have you battled with your weight for years with little to no success? We know how frustrating it can be to stick to a strict diet and exercise routine with no reward from the scale. The caring professionals at Surgical Associates of South Florida, LLC in South Miami, FL can help you achieve your health and wellness goals with endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. Read on to learn if this procedure is for you.

What Is Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty?

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a procedure meant to benefit people who have been unable to reach a healthy weight despite regular diet and exercise, and it is considerably less invasive than other forms of bariatric surgery. In this procedure, most of the stomach is removed, including the upper portion responsible for releasing the hormones that cause hunger.

What is left behind is a gastric sleeve comparable in size to a banana. Because the stomach is drastically smaller post-procedure, patients can feel full and satisfied by consuming an amount of food that wouldn’t have previously satisfied them.

Are There Benefits Beyond Weight Loss?

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty can help address weight-related health problems such as heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and GERD. Significant health improvements can open up a whole new life.

Am I a Candidate?

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is available for people with a body mass index above 30 who have not been able to maintain weight loss through diet and exercise. Often, this procedure is a good option for those who are not candidates for other bariatric surgeries.

You may not be a candidate if you have had:

  • A hiatal hernia larger than 3 centimeters
  • Prior stomach surgery
  • Gastrointestinal bleeding

Perhaps most importantly, you have to be committed to making healthy lifestyle changes before and after the procedure. Patients interested in endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty can schedule a consultation with a surgeon who will perform a screening to determine candidacy.

What to Expect

Typically, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is done as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia and takes around 90 minutes. Before and after the procedure, you must adhere to a specific diet as outlined by your surgeon.

Before the Procedure

For one to two weeks prior to the procedure, you will be on a liquid diet which can include foods such as yogurt, apple sauce, nut milks, vegetable juice, and soups without large chunks. This period will help you lose the recommended 10 to 15 pounds to increase the efficacy of the procedure.

After the Procedure

For 24 to 48 hours after the surgery, you will be on clear liquids only, which includes herbal tea, water, broths, ice chips, and sugar-free popsicles. For the rest of the week, you can add in the liquids you were allowed leading up to the procedure.

For weeks two and three, you can have pureed foods such as fruits and vegetables, cottage cheese, low-sugar yogurt, and broths. In weeks three and four, you can move on to soft foods such as eggs, oatmeal, and bananas.

At week five, you can get back into solid foods, incorporating each food one at a time. Recommended foods for this phase include lean meats, fruits, vegetables, eggs, and beans. It is important to include clear liquids throughout each phase for proper hydration.

Conclusion

Losing weight can be hard and especially frustrating when you put in plenty of effort but get no results. If you believe endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty can help you achieve your health and wellness goals, begin your journey by contacting Surgical Associates of South Florida, LLC in South Miami, FL to schedule your consultation.

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