Scarless Weight-Loss Surgery
Boston Channel.com, 13th July 2009
A new weight-loss technique that does not leave scars is being tested by doctors in New England at the moment. The procedure is called Transoral Gastroplasty (TOGA) and consists of entering the endoscope into a patient’s mouth down their esophagus. The operation can reduce the size of the stomach to about three inches long and one inch wide.
TOGA is still being tested but compared to the other procedures, it seems to be effective, less painful and reduce the recovery time.
Dr. John Kelly from the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester says that most of the patients feel better after 24-48 hours.
Lissa Haynes underwent the new procedure a few months ago. Before that she suffered from the sleep apnea, had high blood pressure and cholesterol. Thanks to the TOGA she lost 50 pounds and much improved the quality of her life. Both her cholesterol and blood pressure are below normal now. And what’s more, she doesn’t have a single scar on her body.
“It’s changed my life. It’s just so easy,” said Haynes. “I feel like I was given a gift.”This procedure is not risk-free, though. Some of the risks consist of puncturing the esophagus and also risks associated with undergoing anesthesia.
Doctors say that some patients are too heavy to undergo invasive surgery such as gastric bypass. They are hoping than in a few years endoscopic procedures will become a safe option.
270 patients have been enrolled for the TOGA clinical trial. Two-third of the patients are having the scar-free procedure whereas the rest are getting a placebo procedure. The results will be published next May but it will be tow or three years before TOGA will be widely available.
