Endoscopic bariatric procedures are the recent additions to the armamentarium of weight loss procedures. These include primarily the intragastricballoon, swallow pill and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. These procedures can be performed using endoscopy without the need for surgery. Intragastric balloon makes use of a saline filled silicone balloon implanted in the fund is of stomach which restricts food intake whereas endoscopic sleeve gastroplastyplicates the stomach from within using an endoscopic suturing device to decrease stomach volume. Both these procedures have a transient effect on weight loss but the effects are not long lasting. There is a high risk of weight regain once the intragastric balloon is removed or when the plication effect wanes off with time.
These procedures are thus indicated in those patients who require to lose just 10-15 kgs of extra weight and are well motivated to follow lifestyle changes once the effect of these procedures wanes off. They are suggested for people with recent onset acute weight gain, overweight adolescents, high risk surgical candidates and as a bridge therapy to surgery in severely obese individuals.