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Peter LePort, M.D. Fountain Valley |
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The Program, Long Beach |
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Eufrocino Martinez, M.D. Norwalk |

As obesity rates continue to climb to startling levels, more people are turning to weight loss surgery to lose the excess pounds for good. Many obese patients – those who have a BMI of 30 or above - are strong candidates for bariatric procedures such as stomach stapling and gastric bypass surgery that circumvents the body’s calorie absorption process.
However, researchers are testing an innovative new procedure called transoral gastroplasty (TOGA) that helps patients block out calories and lose an extensive amount of weight - all without a single incision.
Transoral gastroplasty is currently being tested by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine, and falls under the stomach-stapling category for weight loss. However, instead of accessing the stomach area with extensive surgery around the stomach, this procedure involves passing instruments down the esophagus directly and creating the restrictive pouch.
The restrictive pouch is the necessary element for successful lapband surgery and weight loss procedures today; the pouch holds all the food from a meal so that the patient simply eats less; they tend to feel fuller more quickly, thereby eating less calories throughout the day. The success of this procedure is determined by the percentage of excess body fat that patient loses within a year; according to Dr. Christopher Eagon, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine, the transoral gastroplasty procedure allowed patients to lose an average of 40 percent of excess body fat in 12 months.
The most significant difference between TOGA and conventional weight loss procedures is the method used to create the stomach pouch. The entire procedure involves entering the stomach through the esophagus so surgeons do not need to perform any surgery around the abdominals or stomach region. It is an incision-free approach to weight loss, and may be the revolutionary procedure that many people need in order to lose the excess pounds for good.
Transoral gastroplasty is also known as ‘TOGA’ and researchers in Mexico and Belgium are also putting this procedure to the test. The Toga Clinical Study website offers more information and insights about how the procedure works and allows people around the U.S. to sign up for the program as a volunteer patient. Qualified patients receive all study-related care such as nutritional counseling and the TOGA procedure itself at no cost.
Transoral gastroplasty may be an attractive alternative to extensive weight loss procedures such as gastric bypass and lapband surgery, but will be a relatively new procedure entering the market after clinical studies are complete. Participants who want to participate in the TOGA study must meet certain requirements; they need to have a BMI between 35-55, and must sign an Informed Consent form prior to beginning the program. The study is sponsored by Satiety, Inc., a medical device company headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Learn more about bariatric surgery and weight loss procedures in our information guide, or consult with a weight loss doctor in your area for information about the TOGA procedure. Candidates interested in becoming volunteers during the clinical trials can request a consultation at a participating clinic online at TOGAClinicalStudy.com.
By LocateADoc.com Medical Staff Writers
Our writers strive to present an objective, upfront and open view of the medical procedures you're interested in. We present you with both the good and bad, and work to represent both doctors' and patients' points of view. Our articles contain facts and statistics from medical associations, medical and surgical journals, and through doctor and patient interviews.
Related Subjects and Keywords: weight loss weight loss surgery bariatric surgery bariatric surgeons gastric bypass lap band surgery toga transoral gastroplasty
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