December 7, 2020
Fighting obesity is a real struggle, even with aggressive diet and exercise programs. Though the market is flooded with countless fad diets, workouts, and weight loss therapies and meds, there is still a large portion of the US population that is struggling with obesity and various chronic diseases related to the condition. The reason why most people fail to achieve success with these traditional methods of losing weight is that they are challenging to sustain and the body’s hormones often make this an uphill battle. These are some of the reasons why Sleeve Gastrectomy and Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) are gaining popularity. If you too are struggling with obesity and planning to undergo any of the two gastric sleeve procedures, here is a brief guide to understanding the difference between the two to help you make an informed decision. Read on.
Surgical Procedure
Just like any other type of weight loss surgery, sleeve gastrectomy and ESG work by the same principle, which is to induce weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach to make it look like a tube-shaped structure while reducing grehlin – a hunger hormone. The reduced stomach size limits food intake and creates a calorie deficit in the body. This, in turn, forces the body to use stored fat for energy. The reduction in stomach size also changes the hormones that affect hunger and metabolism, resulting in weight loss. Though the outcome (stomach reduction) is the same in both types of procedures, the actual difference lies in the way the surgeries are performed. Grehlin reduction tends to be more dramatic in traditional surgical procedures.
Sleeve gastrectomy surgery, also called gastric sleeve, is a minimally invasive laparoscopic weight loss procedure, in which the surgeon inserts a special camera and tools through small incisions in the abdomen. As compared to open surgery, where the surgeon makes large incisions to get direct access to the abdomen, sleeve gastrectomy being a laparoscopic surgery is considered minimally invasive as it employs small incisions in the abdomen. The procedure usually takes one hour to complete.
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty, on the other hand, is a minimally invasive weight loss procedure during which a suturing device is inserted into the patient’s throat and through which the surgeon places sutures in the stomach to make it smaller and give it the shape of a tube. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty takes about 60-90 minutes to complete.
Stomach Size Post-surgery
While in both gastric sleeve procedures the final shape of the stomach resembles a tube-like structure (a banana-shaped sleeve), the difference lies in how the shape is achieved. In sleeve gastrectomy, 80-85% of the stomach is cut along the great curvature and completely removed from the body, whereas in the endoscopic sleeve gastrectomy 70-80% of the stomach is isolated from the rest of the stomach by sewing it along the great curvature.
Recovery Time
As laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive, both sleeve gastrectomy and ESG involve less recovery time and fewer surgery-related complications. However, in the case of ESG, as there are no incisions made in the abdomen, the recovery time is comparatively less than that of sleeve gastrectomy.
Estimated Weight Loss
One of the reasons why a large number of people are turning to the two gastric sleeve procedures is their effectiveness in achieving long-term weight loss. After undergoing sleeve gastrectomy and following healthy habits patients can lose approximately 60% or even more of their excess weight within two years. After undergoing ESG and following a healthy lifestyle post-surgery, patients can expect to lose about 12-20% of their body weight in one year.
Risks And Complications
Even though the two surgical procedures are safe, there are still chances of post surgical side-effects and complications. As sleeve gastrectomy involves abdominal incisions and tissue removal, there can be some complications post-surgery, such as internal bleeding, infection, vomiting, and nutrients deficiency. This happens rarely, less than 1% of cases. In the case of ESG, the risk of complication is relatively small, less than 1% as well. Side effects patients may face after surgery include abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting that last not more than 2-3 days.
Discuss with an Endoscopic Bariatric Surgery Expert
If morbid obesity is preventing you from living a healthy life, Endoscopic bariatric surgery may be just what you need. Get in touch with the DFW Bariatrics and General Surgery in Dallas to consult our team of medical experts headed by Dr. Sachin Kukreja. Explore all available options in minimally invasive surgery, and let us help you put your life back on track. To learn more about the treatment options or schedule an appointment, simply call 469-620-0222 or fill out our online appointment form and we will take it from there.