Under general anesthesia, a thin, flexible tube equipped with a camera (endoscope) is inserted into the mouth and down the esophagus and stomach. An endoscopist then inserts a series of sutures to change the structure of the stomach, leaving it shaped like a sleeve and restricting the amount of food you can consume.
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Costs
Seeking a solution for lasting weight loss? Consider ESG, a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. You’ll go home the same day, but anesthesia requires a designated driver. The procedure uses a tiny endoscope to create a stomach sleeve, reducing its size by about 75%. This limits food intake, helping you lose up to 20% of your body weight. Coupled with a healthy lifestyle, the results can be long-lasting. Importantly, ESG can also manage obesity-related conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and Type 2 diabetes, even reducing your need for certain medications. While the benefits are exciting, it’s essential to research the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty cost to make an informed decision.
Procedure
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that reduces stomach volume. The doctor uses a suturing device at the end of an endoscope to place a series of sutures that bring sections of your stomach together. This creates a tube-like structure that makes you feel full after eating smaller meals.
The procedure takes 60 to 90 minutes, and you will be under anesthesia for the duration of it. You will awaken in the recovery room and be allowed to go home after a brief observation period.
You will be on a liquid diet for the first month after the surgery to give your stomach a chance to heal. Then, you will gradually start to eat soft foods and then move on to solids.
You may experience some pain and nausea as your stomach heals after the procedure, but this is usually manageable with over-the-counter medications. It would help if you committed to healthy lifestyle changes for long-term weight loss success. Obesity is linked to many severe health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. Losing weight can help manage these conditions and reduce your need for medications.
Recovery
The ESG procedure is one of the safest surgical options for weight loss. It has also been shown to help patients lose 30% to 60% of their excess body weight and improve related comorbidities such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea.
In an endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, an endo bariatric team inserts a thin, flexible tube with a camera (endoscope) into your mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach. They release gas to expand the stomach and then use a suturing device attached to the endoscope to place a series of stitches that reduce the overall size of the stomach by creating a sleeve shape.
The outpatient procedure takes about an hour, and patients are fully sedated. After waking up from the anesthesia, most patients can go home the same day. Like other bariatric procedures, ESG is not a permanent solution to obesity, and patients need to follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly to maximize weight loss results. If you are not covered by insurance or choose to self-pay for the surgery, several medical loans and financing options are available to make it more affordable.
Insurance
The ESG procedure uses a flexible thin scope inserted down the throat to suture your stomach into a sleeve-like shape that reduces its capacity for food by about 30%. This helps patients control portion sizes and feel full more quickly. The procedure typically lasts less than two hours and does not require an overnight hospital stay.
Like other bariatric surgery options, ESG is a long-term weight loss solution that reduces the risk of severe health conditions associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides, and obstructive sleep apnea. In addition, the sleeve-like shape can help improve other metabolic diseases that often coexist with obesity, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), polycystic ovary syndrome, and fatty liver disease.
The sleeve-like shape can also help lower your appetite and make you feel full more quickly, so you eat less, helping you maintain the weight loss achieved through ESG. This can be especially helpful in the first few months after your procedure while your stomach heals. You must continue your regular exercise routine and maintain a healthy diet after ESG to keep the weight off.
Financing
ESG and other endoscopic bariatric procedures aren’t covered by medical insurance. However, Michigan Medicine offers competitive prices for weight loss surgery. Our financial counselors can review your options and provide you with detailed costs. You’ll also want to consider the cost of long-term care. Obesity is associated with a range of health conditions, from heart disease to Type 2 diabetes. Weight loss can help you manage these conditions and reduce your need for medication.
During the ESG procedure, an endoscope is inserted into your mouth and down your throat to your stomach. It’s a flexible tube fitted with a camera and suturing device. Your gastroenterologist will use this tool to insert a series of sutures that alter the structure of your stomach. This creates a slimmer, tube-like stomach that limits how much you can eat.
The procedure takes 1 to 2.5 hours, and you can return home shortly after. You’ll start with a liquid diet for a few weeks, then move to semi-solid and whole foods over time. Because this is a newer procedure, results aren’t as definitive as for more established bariatric surgery options.