If you have struggled with obesity and have considered weight loss surgery, you may have discovered that the qualification process for bariatric surgery can be long and difficult. These surgical procedures can effectively help patients lose a significant amount of weight, but like any surgical procedure, there are risks and potential complications that can arise. Also, bariatric surgery requires patients to spend between 1 and 3 days in the hospital.
Reports of a fairly new weight loss procedure called endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) have been flooding media outlets due to its recent approval by the FDA. Patients that underwent ESG during the clinical trials lost double the amount of weight than predicted by the trial researchers which prompted this FDA decision.
Because of the significant weight loss potential and low-risk profile, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty has become one of the most desired procedures for treating obesity and promoting weight loss. If you are asking yourself, “Where can I find endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty doctors near me?” Keep reading!
Today, we are going to talk about ESG and learn about an expertly qualified endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) doctor in Miami, FL who performs this life-altering procedure.
What Is The Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Procedure?
ESG is performed as an outpatient procedure and can help individuals with a BMI of 30 or higher lose weight. During the procedure, the usable capacity of the patient’s stomach is reduced to approximately 25% of its original volume. This prevents the individual from eating too much in one sitting and also helps them feel full for a longer time after eating.
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is not a surgical procedure and no incisions are made. Unlike gastric sleeve surgery, where a portion of the patient’s stomach is surgically cut out and removed, the ESG procedure simply reshapes the patient’s stomach and stitches it in place.
What Does The ESG Procedure Involve?
There are no abdominal incisions used during ESG and the entire procedure is done from the inside of the patient’s stomach through an endoscope. This special medical tool is a flexible hollow hose that also has a miniature camera and a light. While the patient is under sedation, the endoscope is placed down the patient’s throat and is used to allow other tiny tools access to the procedure area.
Using the help of a real-time video feed streaming from the endoscopic camera, the doctor manipulates the stomach into a smaller shape that looks like a small banana-like pouch and secures it in place with strategically placed sutures.
ESG normally only takes about 45 minutes to complete and after a few hours of observation, patients are discharged into the care of a friend or family member who will drive them home to comfortably recover.
What Is ESG Recovery Like?
Most patients are back to their normal routines within a few days, and besides some dietary guidelines, they have minimal activity restrictions.
It normally takes about two weeks for the stomach to grow accustomed to the smaller size and the alterations in shape that have been made. Patients need to allow their stomachs time to become acclimated to these changes and will need to reintroduce food gradually.
Usually for the first few days following the procedure, the patient consumes only clear liquids, then progresses to full liquids and purees, soft foods, and then solids. The types of foods, quantities, and duration of each stage of this reintroduction dietary plan will be provided to the patient before they are discharged by the doctor.
Many individuals have experienced significant weight losses after having ESG, some reporting weight losses of over 100 pounds.
Where Can I Find An Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Doctor In Florida?
If you live in the area and are looking for a qualified endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty doctor in Miami, you are in luck! Dr. Okeefe Simmons from Simmons Advanced Weight Loss Solutions is an ESG expert, and his practice is conveniently located at 2820 NE 214th St., Suite 1002, Aventura, FL 33180.
Dr. Okeefe Simmons attended medical school at the University of Miami, where he graduated with research honors. Then he did a residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases awarded him the honor of naming him an “emerging liver scholar.”
He spent four years doing fellowship training at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and at Cornell Medicine/New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He is the first doctor in the country to have fellowship training in gastroenterology, bariatric endoscopy, and obesity medicine.
He has completed more than 2000 endoscopic procedures and composed many research reports as well as chapters for reference books in these areas. Dr. Simmons also mentors students in the University of Miami’s gastrointestinal fellowship program at the VA Medical Center in Miami.
What If I Do Not Live Near Miami But I Want To See Dr. Simmons?
Dr. Simmons sees patients from numerous locations within Florida, the United States, and the world. Simmons Advanced Weight Loss Solutions provides convenient video consultation sessions to save you time and money. If you plan to have an in-person visit, a brand-new 5-star hotel has recently opened up right next door to our office.
Both Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) are within 25 minutes of our doorstep (FLL). If you are planning a face-to-face visit, please get in touch with our office so that we may offer suggestions on where to stay, how long you should plan to stay, as well as other helpful information.
We partner with our patients to provide them with a plan of care that offers the most effective solution for their circumstances, as well as the tools and support they need to succeed in reaching their weight loss goals.
Learn More About Simmons Advanced Weight Loss Solutions and Dr. Simmons, an expert endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty doctor in Florida! Contact us today to set up a consultation to determine if endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty would be right for you!
