Gastric Plication

Gastric plication is a safe and effective new surgical technique against obesity. Dedicated specialists always try to find strategies that provide the highest possible safety for patients and, at the same time, are effective in losing weight. Among the new techniques that experts need to treat obesity are opening up and new techniques that meet some premises, such as good weight loss, simplicity, and safety. Among these techniques, there is also gastric plication.

The gastric plication procedure is a new method of treating obesity using a particular device such as a stomach clip. This method helps people with excessive obesity problems who cannot lose weight with diet and exercise. This weight loss surgery method has been trendy in recent years and is also very popular. The purpose of surgeons choosing this obesity treatment technique is to assist in weight loss at the lowest cost. This surgery carries less risk to the person’s health and is conservative and minimally invasive.

For people to fully benefit from the benefits of this surgery, as in other obesity surgeries, they must have made the necessary conditions and preparation before the surgery. Your Body Mass Index is decisive for your gastric plication surgery. You may be a good candidate for this procedure if your BMI exceeds 40 or is already 35, you have obesity-related diseases, and conservative weight loss procedures have been unsuccessful.

It is essential that you be mentally stable and not have any of the contraindicated diseases. Also, some psychiatric diagnoses may be why you cannot have gastric plication surgery. Ideal candidates for the procedure are highly motivated individuals willing to submit to all the dietary requirements required by this operation.

Before the procedure, you must consult a bariatric surgeon, psychologist, gastroenterologist, and nutritional therapist. Specialists may recommend this surgery if conservative treatments such as diet, eating and exercise habit training, or pharmacological measures fail. We recommend that you have surgery before severe obesity-related health problems develop. However, when using any method, your willpower is also essential.

What is Gastric Plication?

Gastric plication is a simple technique that consists of folding the stomach in two successive layers, folding it back on itself. In this way, specialists don’t make incisions in the intestine; the physiological functioning and digestive functions continue similarly with this technique, and neither the intestines nor their absorption capacity change. This technique aims to reduce stomach capacity by 80%. This intervention prevents excessive food intake as the stomach loses its ability to swell.

By reducing the stomach capacity, the patient will feel satiated more quickly by approximately the amount of food that fits on a post plate. The effects of gastric plication may fail due to the patient’s repeated excess food intake.

There isn’t much data on the effectiveness of this initiative, which is a poorly established technique and is still under study. However, experts estimate that the weight loss of patients undergoing gastric plication will be around 50% to 60%. As with the rest of the bariatric surgical interventions, this technique can improve patient comorbidities in obesity-related diseases.

This procedure is a new obesity surgery procedure. Experts call this convoluted tubular gastroplasty. Like other techniques, surgeons perform this procedure laparoscopically. Due to insufficient long-term studies, experts still consider it experimental in the primary weight loss procedure. Gastric plication reduces the generous size of the stomach to less than half and reaches volumes of about 100-150 cc. The process involves sewing the left edge of the abdomen on itself, forming folds that cover the inside of the stomach, thereby reducing its volume. The stomach will no longer accept the same amount of food as before, and fullness will appear much sooner. As with all other bariatric surgery procedures, it can also improve obesity-related diseases.

Unlike gastric sleeve and gastric bypass procedures, there is no stapling of the stomach or intestines in this procedure. Experts don’t cut or remove any part of the stomach or intestine. Theoretically, this procedure can reverse. But in most cases, it’s probably more complex than the gastric band. It can also be converted to another process if needed.

The performance of gastric plication takes one to two hours. The hospital stay is 24-48 hours, and most patients experience nausea and vomiting in the first days. Recovery begins soon after surgery when you start learning a new way of eating. The initial diet contains only liquids for two weeks. Darker drinks are introduced in subsequent weeks until solids are reached about a month after surgery. This procedure doesn’t cause any change in vitamin and mineral absorption, but as with other restrictive techniques, sometimes less food intake may cause a decrease in vitamin and mineral intake; therefore, vitamin supplementation recommends.

Who Should Have Gastric Plication Procedure?

This procedure isn’t suitable for everyone. It doesn’t recommend having gastric plication for people who are severely or morbidly obese and overweight over 70 kg. In other words, this procedure is specially designed for patients with an excess of 25 to 45 kilos. It mainly recommends for patients at the lower end of the obesity scale. Your doctor may consider this procedure if you meet the following criteria:

• Your BMI (Body Mass Index) is 30 or higher (this number is lower than most bariatric surgeries for morbidly obese individuals with a BMI of 40 or more and obesity-related health conditions with a BMI of 35).
• You’ve tried less invasive methods but still haven’t lost enough weight (diet, exercise, behavioral therapy, and medical weight loss are examples).
• You have shown that you are serious about losing weight, improving your health, and embracing long-term changes in your lifestyle.

This procedure is unsuitable for people with a Body Mass Index over 40. Performing various medical tests will determine the patient’s readiness to perform this procedure. At the same time, this procedure is unsuitable for hiatal hernia, gastric or duodenal ulcers, history of gastric surgery, and pregnancy.

What are the Risks of the Gastric Plication Process?

Possible risks include gastritis (stomach inflammation), heartburn, stomach ulcers, or abdominal scarring that can lead to a blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. There may be an infection at the surgical site that may require antibiotics or surgery. Complications include injury to the stomach, intestines, or other organs during surgery. In addition, anesthesia can cause side effects such as headaches. After surgery, if the patient eats more food than the stomach can hold, vomiting may occur from eating more food. Check out the risks of gastric plication in general:

• New conditions may inevitably lead to limitations and problems in patients following the plication operation. Recurring pain in the upper abdomen due to contractions of the stomach muscles in the first 2-3 days after the procedure, including reflex nausea lasting up to 48 hours.
• Due to the severe plication of the stomach, excessive narrowing of the gastric outlet, and pushing the compressed folds inward in the narrowed stomach: In this case, the patient’s nausea continues and doesn’t decrease in any way.
• Saliva in the form of vomit: It often comes out with copious amounts of foam. This problem may lead to electrolyte disturbances and complications if the suture correction and dosing delay. The reason for this complication is that the end of the stomach stitch like the upper part of the stomach. Because many folds in the distal portion of the stomach and after the body of the abdomen push into the stomach, and if we don’t leave enough space in the stomach at the entrance, the folds that push in may get stuck in the stomach.
• Perforation of the stomach: This usually occurs at the highest point of the stomach and in the fundus, where the stomach is thinner and ischemic due to plication. At the beginning of this situation, its omens are vague and misleading. Prompt diagnosis and timely treatment of this condition can prevent many later problems.
• Weight regains: During this time, the body’s response is usually appropriate and impressive in highly motivated people to diet and exercise. If the patients’ lifestyles, physical activities, and diets haven’t changed during these four years, they will gradually expose to the recurrence of obesity.

What is the Difference Between Gastric Plication and Other Bariatric Surgeries?

In other bariatric surgeries, to lose weight, surgeons cut off a portion of the stomach and remove it from the body or shrink the belly using different methods, such as piercing. Even specialists apply changes to the small intestine in some cases. For example, in the gastric sleeve procedure, surgeons cut off part of the stomach and make the gut a narrow tube. Thus, the part surgeons cut is where the hunger hormone secret, which makes the person happier.

In addition, in gastric bypass surgery, specialists reduce the stomach volume by shrinking it and dividing it into two. Experts make changes in the gut, causing less absorption of nutrients. This causes problems for the person.

However, we can say that the plication procedure is a minimal and reversible surgical method and is somewhat effective in weight loss. It has minor side effects and risks compared to other treatment methods.

The patient can restore the stomach system at any time. There is no rerouting of the intestines like gastric bypass. It doesn’t involve implanting a band or ring device around part of the stomach. There is no need for any adjustment, such as a gastric band.

What Will You Encounter During a Gastric Plication Consultation?

During a gastric plication consultation, you can expect the following:

• Discuss your medical history and current health status with the surgeon. This will include previous surgeries, allergies, current medications, and underlying medical conditions.
• Get a physical exam. The surgeon will examine your abdomen and evaluate your overall health.
• Discuss your weight loss goals and any concerns or questions about the procedure.
• Learn about gastric plication surgery’s benefits, risks, and potential complications.
• Perform any testing or imaging studies necessary to determine if you are a candidate for the procedure.
• Discuss the specifics of the plication procedure, including what to expect before, during, and after surgery.
• Take the opportunity to ask any additional questions you may have.

It is essential to be honest, and forthcoming with your surgeon during the consultation to ensure that they have all the necessary information to decide whether a gastric plication is a proper procedure for you.

How Should You Prepare for Gastric Plication Procedure?

You will have one or two consultation sessions with your doctor before the gastric plication procedure. They will explain the whole process and how to act in these meetings. They will also inform you about the possible risks of this surgery. If you have a drug allergy or have a request from the doctor, you can forward your questions at these meetings. Then you do all the necessary tests. You then give the test results to your doctor and your medical records. If you are suffering from a particular disease or taking medication, tell your doctor before the surgery.

After completing all the first steps, you take the time to take action. Don’t use any chemical or herbal medicine 24 hours before the operation. Don’t drink anything 6 hours before the procedure. You must be familiar with the process and any risks associated with the system. You will also receive precise instructions from your surgeon about the regimen after the operation.

A comprehensive pre-operative examination will be part of the surgical preparations. If you are a smoker, plan to quit smoking approximately 2-3 weeks before the surgery, and at least don’t continue smoking.

In addition to the above, you may need to follow a special diet two weeks before plication surgery. This low-calorie diet will include reducing the number of carbohydrates such as potatoes, pasta, and sweets. You may also need more protein, vegetables, and sugar-free fluids. You will do this study to shrink your fat cells in the liver. The liver is right next to the stomach and its large size makes it difficult for the doctor to do a plication. For this reason, you must follow the doctor’s instructions entirely to avoid possible risks.

How is Gastric Plication Procedure Performed?

First, you should know that the gastric plication procedure isn’t an open surgery, and the recovery and surgery time is shorter than other surgeries. This surgery takes about 45 to 90 minutes. First, they numb you with the help of an anesthetic. This bariatric surgery method is designed to help patients lose weight by reducing their stomach size. Specialists typically perform the procedure laparoscopically, using special instruments inserted through small incisions and incisions. Check out the gastric plication procedure steps:

• Anesthesia

The surgery always performs under general anesthesia. This means you will be asleep during the entire operation and not feel any pain. If you have had general anesthesia in the past, you can let the doctor know how you tolerated it. You may need to stay in the hospital for a while after the surgery.

• Incision

The surgeon will make several minimal incisions in the abdomen in a suitable measurement. To allow the surgeon to see inside the abdominal cavity, the surgeon will insert a laparoscope, a thin tube with a light and camera at the end, through one of the incisions. The surgeon will use the laparoscope to access the stomach, fold it on itself, and sew it in place, creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach. This reduces the overall size of the stomach and makes it difficult to eat large amounts of food at one time. Finally, the specialist will close the incisions using sutures or surgical staples.

After surgery, the surgeon will take you to a recovery room, where the surgeon will monitor you for complications. You will give pain medication to help manage discomfort and encourage to get up and move as soon as possible to help prevent blood clots. You can return home in a few days, but you must follow a special diet and take the medications your surgeon has prescribed. It is essential to carefully follow your surgeon’s instructions during recovery to ensure the best possible outcome.

What to Consider After Gastric Plication Procedure?

After this surgery, you should pay attention to several points to recover well and fully recover as soon as possible. There are a few things to consider after the gastric plication procedure:

• You must follow a strict liquid diet for the first few weeks after surgery to allow your stomach to heal. You will then gradually transition to a pureed and solid food diet. It’s important to follow your surgeon’s dietary recommendations to ensure you get the nutrients you need while allowing your stomach to heal. While eating, eat calmly and chew well so that you don’t have digestive problems and don’t get heavy on your stomach.
• Exercise is an integral part of the weight loss process after gastric plication surgery. Your surgeon will likely recommend starting with light activities such as walking and gradually increasing your activity level as you recover.
• It is essential to attend all your follow-up appointments with your surgeon to monitor your progress and address any concerns or complications.
• The surgeon may prescribe medications to help you manage discomfort or other side effects after surgery. You must take your medications as directed by your surgeon.

Gastric plication surgery can be a powerful tool for weight loss. However, it isn’t a panacea. To maintain weight loss, you must make permanent lifestyle changes, including adopting a healthy diet and regular exercise routine. It is essential to carefully consider these factors after your plication procedure to ensure the best possible outcome.

What is the Recovery Process After Gastric Plication?

Immediately after the operation, you may feel a slight pain at the place of the incisions, and you may feel pain due to absorption. These are primarily unpleasant sensations in the area of ​​the joints and arms. These pains pass quickly and can be managed very well with doctor-prescribed analgesics. The surgeon will remove your stitches in a few days. Check out the recovery process after gastric plication in general:

• Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on dietary precautions and other necessary regimen measures. You will also receive education about possible early and late post-operative complications. If you experience any unusual symptoms at any time, contact your doctor.
• Many people can resume normal activities a few days after returning home. However, we recommend that you take a week off from your job. You will usually need a liquid or pureed foods for two to three weeks after surgery. Up to six weeks after the surgery, the patient can eat normally.
• After the plication operation, the surgeon will determine your correct diet in consultation. This diet helps to improve your fitness significantly.
• For the first two weeks, you should consume beverages and liquids such as water, fruit juice, and milk. During these two weeks, remember to eliminate all sugar-containing foods and drinks from your life as they cause dumping syndrome. You should not consume caffeine and sugar because caffeine causes your body to reflux and dehydrate.
• You can add liquid and bland foods to your diet, such as carbohydrate-free soups and various purees. Of course, you should still avoid eating sugar, spices, and solid and fatty foods.
• After the sixth week, you can complete your diet with your doctor’s advice and add various proteins, dairy products, and eggs. For the stomach to get used to its new condition, you must follow a special diet for about two months.

How Long After Gastric Plication Will You See the Final Result?

Gastric plication results will show satisfactory weight loss for up to three years and until you reach a stable weight. Depending on the pre-operative weight of the patient, a weight loss of 40% to 70% of the excess weight can expect within the first year after surgery. In addition, most obesity-related diseases can improve or even disappear after a plication procedure.

For example, diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, and abnormal cholesterol levels improve in over 75% of patients who undergo this procedure. Although there aren’t many long-term studies of these benefits, weight loss after gastric plication improves these medical conditions during the first year after surgery.

There is a decrease in the patient’s weight and, therefore, an improvement in the general state of health. This will improve your overall mobility. This then leads to increased energy expenditure and possible weight loss. In addition to losing weight, there is an improvement in your appearance. If the weight loss is rapid, you may begin to suffer from excessively loose skin. Your doctor will advise you on how to solve this problem.

How Much Does Gastric Plication Cost?

Gastric plication costs can vary widely depending on several factors, including the surgeon’s fees, hospital or surgical center fees, and the location of the procedure. Some insurance plans may cover some or all of the cost of the system. But it’s important to check with your insurance provider to determine your specific coverage.

You should also note that gastric plication prices don’t include additional fees such as pre-and post-operative laboratory tests, medications, and follow-up care. These costs can add several thousand dollars to the total cost of the procedure.

If you’re considering this surgery, discussing the cost with your surgeon and other relevant healthcare providers is a good idea to understand better what to expect. Some surgeons and hospitals may offer financing options to help patients afford the procedure.

In Which Countries is the Cheapest Gastric Plication Procedure Performed?

It is difficult to determine which countries have the cheapest gastric plication procedures, as the cost of the process can vary greatly depending on several factors. Some factors that can affect the price of gastric plication are the surgeon’s fees, hospital or surgical center fees, the location of the procedure, and the patient’s specific needs.

In general, it is more common for patients to travel to other countries for elective surgery, such as a plication procedure, in search of lower costs.

It’s essential to remember that lower cost doesn’t always mean lower quality, and it’s necessary to research and carefully consider all your options before making a decision. Knowing the potential risks or complications associated with receiving medical care in another country is crucial. Here are the gastric plication costs by country:

Attention: For Information Purposes Only

Please note that the content of this website is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always consult a specialist surgeon for personal guidance.

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