Incisionless Procedures for Weight Loss

Meeting a weight loss goal isn’t easy. If you’re among the millions of people struggling to lose weight, you may be a candidate for one of the latest advancements: an incisionless weight loss procedure. These modern techniques allow highly trained surgeons to combine state-of-the-art medical technology with new discoveries about losing weight — and keeping it off.

John Paul Gonzalvo, DO, a bariatric surgeon at AdventHealth Medical Group in Tampa, explains the success many patients are enjoying with the new incisionless procedures for weight loss.

Minimally Invasive Weight Loss

Many people can’t find success through diet and exercise alone. If you’re one of them — and you don’t qualify for weight-loss surgery — endoscopic weight loss may be the solution you’ve been looking for. These minimally invasive procedures are safe and effective, and they deliver lasting results.

“By adding this option for an incisionless procedure to our holistic approach of nutrition and exercise, we’re able to help a lot of patients improve their health and change their lives for the better,” says Dr. Gonzalvo. “These minimally invasive procedures allow patients to take less time off work, and the recovery is much faster than with other surgical weight loss options.”

Endoscopic weight loss procedures are performed without any surgical incision, or cut in the skin. The procedure is done with an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube inserted through your mouth and into your stomach. And for some patients, these procedures are outpatient, which means no overnight stay in the hospital.

Types of Incisionless Procedures

Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG)

Using a flexible endoscope, the surgeon can stitch the stomach from the inside without any incision. This ESG procedure greatly reduces the size of the stomach, which allows you to eat less, feel full faster and stay full longer. Having less desire to eat can be the jumpstart you need for a lifetime of healthier habits.

"Patients are seeing great results from these procedures. In fact, one study showed the average total body weight lost in the first year is over 13% after endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, and the majority maintained their weight loss two years later,” Dr. Gonzalvo says.

If diet, exercise and drug therapies haven’t worked for you or if you’re worried about an invasive surgery, talk with your doctor to find out if a sleeve gastroplasty could be right for you.

Endoscopic Balloon Therapy

In this procedure, a soft, fluid-filled balloon is placed in the stomach. The balloon takes up space, so your stomach can’t hold as much food. The balloon doesn’t change the shape of the stomach; it simply helps you feel full faster and therefore eat less. In most cases, the balloon is removed about six months later. This allows you time to form healthier eating habits, including eating less.

Revision Procedures

AdventHealth also offers incisionless revision procedures for patients who have gained weight back over time since their gastric bypass or gastric sleeve procedure to lose weight.

“Using minimally invasive techniques, we can tighten the connection between the stomach and small intestine for previous gastric bypass patients, or we can restore the original size of a gastric sleeve that has stretched,” explains Dr. Gonzalvo. “These procedures allow patients to feel full faster and eat less, just as they did after the original surgery.”

Benefits of Incisionless Procedures

Patients enjoy a wealth of benefits from weight loss procedures that can be performed without an incision:

• Faster recovery
• Fewer complications
• Less pain
• No permanent scarring
• Short hospital visit, often without an overnight stay

Our multidisciplinary approach is another great benefit that helps patients achieve long-lasting results. Our team of weight loss experts includes dieticians and nutritionists, in addition to gastroenterologists, endocrinologists and other weight management physicians.

Your Health Is Our Mission

For many people, achieving a weight loss goal is the key to unlocking a healthy future. Excess weight negatively impacts your body in countless ways. Let the experts at AdventHealth help you take this first step to improve your body, mind and spirit so you can enjoy life in brand new ways.

No matter where you are on your journey or what weight loss programs you’ve tried, AdventHealth is by your side. If you’ve struggled with diet and exercise alone, talk with your doctor about a referral to AdventHealth Medical Group Bariatric Surgery at Tampa Or call us directly at Call813-971-2470 to learn more.

About Dr. Gonzalvo

Dr. Gonzalvo is certified by the American Board of Surgery and specializes in adult and adolescent bariatric surgery. A native of Tampa, Dr. Gonzalvo is dedicated to improving the overall health of the Tampa Bay community. Together, with a team of providers, he offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program and applies a customized approach for improved well-being to every patient.