ESG Stomach Tightening™
ESG Stomach Tightening™
What is ESG Stomach Tightening™?
ESG Stomach Tightening (or Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty) is a minimally invasive, nonsurgical weight loss solution. Performed under anesthesia, an endoscope is inserted through your mouth into your stomach. Approximately 8 sutures are placed to create ESG Stomach Tightening. The sutures create internal folds that reduce the stomach’s size by 60-75%. The procedure leaves no scars, and you can go home on the same day. With your newly reduced stomach size, you’ll feel full more quickly and for longer periods. On average, patients achieve an 18% weight loss1, and the effects of the ESG procedure have been proven to last for at least five years and likely even longer2.
Hear from the inventor of ESG Stomach Tightening™
In 2012, our scientific advisor and co-founder, Dr. Christopher Thompson, pioneered ESG Stomach Tightening at Harvard Medical School. After a decade of rigorous research and tens of thousands of successful procedures, the FDA officially authorized ESG as a safe and effective weight loss intervention in 2022. Additionally, due to its high and long-lasting rate of weight loss and one-time intervention nature, ESG stands out as the most cost-effective treatment across all obesity categories compared to other common interventions3.
Expected results from ESG Stomach Tightening™
One year after ESG Stomach Tightening, most patients achieve a weight loss ranging from 15-25%, with the average being 18%. When this procedure is combined with medications, the average weight loss increases to 24%. Timing matters when it comes to combining medications with ESG.
Five years out, most patients maintain a significant portion of their initial weight loss, averaging a 16% reduction from their pre-ESG weight. Dr. Thompson and his research team are publishing 10-year results from the first cohort of ESG patients, showcasing the procedure’s long-term effectiveness.
Who ESG Stomach Tightening™ is for
ESG Stomach Tightening has been approved for anyone with BMI over 30 or BMI of 27 – 29.9 with one of the following conditions: high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and fatty liver.
Why ESG Stomach Tightening™ works
ESG Stomach Tightening involves physiological changes to your stomach, leading to enduring results compared to pharmacological or lifestyle interventions. Research identifies the following interconnected effects of ESG:
With a stomach reduced to 3-5 times its original size, ESG Stomach Tightening has been shown to significantly improve three key areas: cognitive restraint, emotional eating, and uncontrolled eating.
Research indicates that ESG Stomach Tightening extends the time food takes to pass through your stomach (“gastric emptying”) by 50 minutes, helping you feel full for a longer period.
Research also reveals significant increases in key satiety hormones such as PYY and GLP-1, 18 months post-ESG.
How ESG Stomach Tightening™ compares with other weight loss solutions
Semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) |
Gastric Balloon | ESG Stomach Tightening |
Bariatric Surgery (Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy) |
|
Type of intervention |
At-home weekly injections |
Non-surgical. No hospitalization required | Non-surgical. No hospitalization required |
Surgery. At least 1 night at hospital |
Average weight loss at 12 months |
15% |
10% | 18% |
20-30% |
Long-term efficacy |
Significant weight regain after discontinuing use. Most gain ⅔ of their lost weight within 1 year. |
Significant weight regain after 12 months. | Durable outcomes. Average of 16% weight loss sustained 5 years after ESG |
Durable outcomes. |
Commitment |
Weekly adherence required |
15-min procedure. 1-3 days off work | 60-min procedure. 1-3 days off work |
1-3 days of hospital stay. 2-4 weeks off work |
Major complications |
Rare |
Rare (<2%) | Rare (<2%) |
10-20% |
Not all ESG is equal – Bariendo’s ESG Stomach Tightening™
ESG Stomach Tightening is a specialized procedure requiring advanced endoscopic skills found in a small number of elite endoscopists. Bariendo works only with top-tier doctors, personally vetted by the inventor of ESG.
While some doctors may use only 2-5 sutures, ours typically employ 8-10 sutures per procedure to maximize weight loss. However, it’s not just the quantity of sutures, but the patterns of their placement that make the difference. All of our doctors strictly adhere to these best-practice protocols.
The innovative field of combining endoscopic procedures with medications is still emerging. Dr. Jirapinyo, a member of our Scientific Advisory Board, is a leading researcher in understanding the synergies between medications and ESG. We offer medication as part of our comprehensive treatment package to maximize your weight loss results.
Our support doesn’t end once the procedure is complete. For 12 months, you have direct access to a multi-disciplinary team consisting of the physician, a physician assistant, a Registered Dietitian, an exercise coach, and a patient liaison. We also provide you with a smart scale that allows our care team to monitor your weight loss journey in real-time.
The procedure itself takes approximately 90 minutes. However, you should plan on spending about half a day with us including preparation and recovery.
Patients go home on the same day. Most take a few days off to recover at home before returning to work. After the procedure, patients follow a full liquid meal plan, which includes protein shakes and similar products, then transition to a soft diet, which includes easy-to-eat foods such as oatmeal and bananas, and then return to regular eating.
Your doctor can use one of three available suturing or plication devices to perform ESG/EGP. ESG can be reversible, while EGP is typically not. If this is important to you, you should discuss this with your provider prior to the procedure.
ESG folds your stomach outward, While EGP (Endoscopic gastric plication) folds your stomach inward. This is why ESG can be reversible and EGP is typically not. Additionally, some stomachs, depending on their shape and size, may respond better to a specific device. Having access to all three suturing and plication devices allows your doctor to tailor the procedure for best results.
An ESG procedure costs $10,995, which includes 12 visits with your Bariendo healthcare team. Financing options are available.