How to establish an endoscopic bariatric practice

Obesity is a chronic,progressive,and relapsing disease of excess adiposity that contributes to more than two hundred medical conditions and is projected to affect more than half the adult population of the United States by the year 2030.Given the limited penetrance of traditional bariatric surgery,as well as the cost and adherence barriers to anti-obesity medications,there is growing interest in the rapidly evolving field of endoscopic bariatric therapies(EBTs).EBTs are minimally invasive,same-day,per-oral endoscopic procedures and include endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty,intragastric balloons,and endoscopic bariatric revisional procedures.This field represents an exciting and innovative subspe-cialty within gastroenterology.However,building a successful endoscopic bariatric practice requires intentional,coordinated,and sustained efforts to overcome the numerous obstacles to entry.Common barriers include acquisition of the technical and cognitive skillset,practice limitations including the availability of nutrition counseling,facility capabilities,direct-to-consumer marketing,and financial pressures such as facility and anesthesia fees.As the highest-volume center for metabolic and bariatric endoscopy in the United States,we provide insights into successfully establishing an endoscopic bariatric program.

Transoral outlet reduction:Outcomes of endoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass revision in 284 patients at a community practice

BACKGROUND Transoral outlet reduction(TORe)is a minimally invasive endoscopic revision of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass(RYGB)for weight recurrence;however,little has been published on its clinical implementation in the community setting.AIM To characterize the safety and efficacy of TORe in the community setting for adults with weight recurrence after RYGB.METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of argon plasma coagulation and purse-string suturing for gastric outlet reduction in consecutive adults with weight recurrence after RYGB at a single community center from September 2020 to September 2022.Patients were provided longitudinal nutritional support via virtual visits.The primary outcome was total body weight loss(TBWL)at twelve months from TORe.Secondary outcomes included TBWL at three months and six months;excess weight loss(EWL)at three,six,and twelve months;twelve-month TBWL by obesity class;predictors of twelve-month TBWL;rates of post-TORe stenosis;and serious adverse events(SAE).Outcomes were reported with descriptive statistics.RESULTS Two hundred eighty-four adults(91.9%female,age 51.3 years,body mass index 39.3 kg/m^(2))underwent TORe an average of 13.3 years after RYGB.Median pre-and post-TORe outlet diameter was 35 mm and 8 mm,respectively.TBWL was 11.7%±4.6%at three months,14.3%±6.3%at six months,and 17.3%±7.9%at twelve months.EWL was 38.4%±28.2%at three months,46.5%±35.4%at six months,and 53.5%±39.2%at twelve months.The number of follow-up visits attended was the strongest predictor of TBWL at twelve months(R^(2)=0.0139,P=0.0005).Outlet stenosis occurred in 11 patients(3.9%)and was successfully managed with endoscopic dilation.There was one instance of post-procedural nausea requiring overnight observation(SAE rate 0.4%).CONCLUSION When performed by an experienced endoscopist and combined with longitudinal nutritional support,purse-string TORe is safe and effective in the community setting for adults with weight recurrence after RYGB.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty in class Ⅲ obesity:Efficacy, safety, and durability outcomes in 404 consecutive patients

BACKGROUND Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty(ESG) is an effective therapy for class Ⅰ-Ⅱ obesity, but there are knowledge gaps in the published literature about its implementation in patients with class Ⅲ obesity [body mass index(BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2].AIM To evaluate the safety, clinical efficacy, and durability of ESG in adults with class Ⅲ obesity.METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study that used prospectively collected data on adults with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2who underwent ESG and longitudinal lifestyle counseling at two centers with expertise in endobariatric therapies from May 2018-March 2022. The primary outcome was total body weight loss(TBWL) at 12 mo. Secondary outcomes included changes in TBWL, excess weight loss(EWL) and BMI at various time points up to 36 mo, clinical responder rates at 12 and 24 mo, and comorbidity improvement. Safety outcomes were reported through the study duration. One-way ANOVA test was performed with multiple Tukey pairwise comparisons for TBWL, EWL, and BMI over the study duration.RESULTS 404 consecutive patients(78.5% female, mean age 42.9 years, mean BMI 44.8 ± 4.7 kg/m2) were enrolled. ESGs were performed using an average of 7 sutures, over 42 ± 9 min, and with 100% technical success. TBWL was 20.9 ± 6.2% at 12 mo, 20.5 ± 6.9% at 24 mo, and 20.3 ± 9.5% at 36 mo. EWL was 49.6 ± 15.1% at 12 mo, 49.4 ± 16.7% at 24 mo, and 47.1 ± 23.5% at 36 mo. There was no difference in TBWL at 12, 15, 24, and 36 mo from ESG. TBWL exceeding 10%, 15%, and 20% was achieved by 96.7%, 87.4%, and 55.6% of the cohort at 12 mo, respectively. Of the cohort with the relevant comorbidity at time of ESG, 66.1% had improvement in hypertension, 61.7% had improvement in type Ⅱ diabetes, and 45.1% had improvement in hyperlipidemia over study duration. There was one instance of dehydration requiring hospitalization(0.2% serious adverse event rate).CONCLUSION When combined with longitudinal nutritional support, ESG induces effective and durable weight loss in adults with class Ⅲ obesity, with improvement in comorbidities and an acceptable safety profile.