Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty abroad: How does it work?

Many patients have decided to travel abroad to get surgery in the last few years, for a variety of reasons: high-quality treatments at affordable prices, virtually non-existent waiting lists, and the possibility to combine your medical stay with a trip to a country you’ve never been to.

As medical technology and techniques advance, the treatment offer also broadens its spectrum, especially in the field of bariatric surgery. At KCM, we have been helping thousands of international patients in their journey towards a healthier lifestyle with cutting-edge procedures and dedicated post-op follow-ups. And we can now pride ourselves in offering the most advanced and effective non-surgical weight-loss procedure available: endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG). It is performed by one of the few surgeons in Europe who performs this procedure – Dr Artur Raiter, MD. You can read our interview with him here.

In this article, we are going to delve into all the aspects of having endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty abroad, what you should expect, and how KCM can assist you.

What is endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty?

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a non-surgical, incision-less procedure to help you reduce food intake and lose weight.

The procedure involves introducing an endoscope through your mouth and suturing your stomach from the inside to make it smaller. Your stomach will be reduced by around 80% of its original size. This way, you will feel full sooner, subsequently limiting food intake. As a non-surgical treatment, recovery is typically quick and there will be no scars. Sleeve gastrectomy is an alternative surgical procedure that is recommended for people with a higher BMI (35 with comorbidities, or 40 and higher). These two procedures, however, are fundamentally different. Read more about how they differ in this article.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty abroad step by step

Here’s a step-by-step overview of what having endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty abroad looks like.

Step 1. Consultation with KCM coordinators

First of all, we’d like to get to know you. Our coordinators will have a phone consultation with you to understand what you plan to achieve, your overall health conditions, as well as give you information on the procedure itself. You will also be able to ask as many questions as you’d like.

Step 2. Eligibility assessment

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is generally recommended for patients with a BMI of 27 who need help to lose weight. In order to check if you are eligible for this treatment, our coordinators will send you this bariatric form to fill out. This gives us a better and detailed overview of your medical history and current health situation. It includes questions about your BMI, any medical conditions you have, your current lifestyle, and allergies. This will also help us understand if you qualify for endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty or if any other bariatric treatment might work better in your case.

Step 3. Booking confirmation

Once you have been found eligible for endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, you will schedule your procedure with our coordinators. Then, we will send you the confirmation of your treatment booking with some information on what to pay attention to before the procedure. We usually recommend our patients be on a liquid diet a few days before the procedure to prepare the stomach for the intervention.

Step 4. Travel to KCM

You’re all set now. We will help you with travel arrangements, including local transport and accommodation. If you’re travelling by plane, one of our drivers will be waiting for you at the airport. We take care of all local transports, from/to the airport to the clinic and from the hotel to the clinic, if need be.

Step 5. Procedure

It is now time for you to have the procedure. Your driver will take you to the clinic and you will be prepared for the operation. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is performed under general anaesthesia, so you will be asleep the whole time.

Step 6. Overnight stay at KCM

You will wake up shortly after the procedure is done, which typically lasts 1-2 hours. You will spend one night at our clinic to make sure everything is going smoothly. You can leave the next day. At this point, you might feel some discomfort in your stomach, and maybe feel somewhat nauseous. Don’t worry, it is a normal and recurring side effect of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

Step 7. Support group on site

After the procedure, you will meet with our psychology and dietary support group before being discharged. They are available every week in English, German, and Polish. This has proven to be immensely helpful to our bariatric patients. This is where you will receive our guidelines and recommendations for your post-op time. They typically include a diet plan, exercise routines, and any recommendation for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. This is a crucial part of your weight loss journey, so make sure that you follow them and that you ask all your questions at this time.

Step 8. Go back home

After your final post-op checkup, you will be discharged from KCM Clinic. Your driver will take you back to the airport and you can travel back home.

Step 9. Post-op follow-ups

We will still assist you once you’re back home. We will keep tabs on your health and overall well-being for the following three years. Our Weight Loss Surgery Poland Facebook group is a great asset for all our patients. Here, our bariatric patients share their experiences and stories, ask questions, and support each other in their weight loss journey. Please always consider that any bariatric procedure only works with your full commitment to having a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. It’s a lifelong commitment but it’s for your own good!

If you would like to learn more about the procedure or start planning your endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty with KCM Clinic, feel free to get in touch with us anytime! You can also have a look at our package prices here.