"A new study finds that individuals struggling with obesity who are not candidates for weightloss surgery can benefit substantially from nonsurgical endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week DDW  http the largest international gathering of physicians researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology hepatology endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Patients who underwent ESG  a procedure performed through the mouth with an endoscope to accordion the stomach by suturing pleats to reduce its size  achieved greater weight loss than laparoscopic banding but less weight loss than laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery. Patients who received treatment endoscopically had shorter hospital stays and lower costs than those who had laparoscopic surgery. Obesity continues to be a problem in America and it is an epidemic rapidly spreading around the world said Reem Z. Sharaiha MD MSc assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and attending physician at New YorkPresbyterianWeill Cornell Medical Center the studys lead author. Our research  the first to compare these treatments  demonstrates that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is safe and effective in helping patients lead healthier lives. It should be considered as another tool available to clinicians and patients in the fight against obesity.  Dr. Sharaiha followed  patients who underwent ESG  patients laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy  patients or laparoscopic banding . During the oneyear followup period patients went to an academic bariatric center of excellence as part of their treatment. At oneyear followup patients who chose laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery achieved the greatest percent total body weight loss at . percent compared to . percent for endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty patients and . percent for laparoscopic banding patients. Researchers found that patients who received endoscopic treatment had lower complications  percent than those who received surgical treatment  percent for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and  percent for laparoscopic banding. Dr. Sharaiha noted that these findings do not suggest that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty will replace the two surgical treatments as weightloss interventions. Instead these results show that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is another possibility that patients and healthcare providers should consider when discussing options. While endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is performed with an endoscopic device through the mouth laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy involves a small surgical incision in the belly to place a tube in the abdomen allowing doctors to reduce the stomachs volume. With laparoscopic banding doctors insert a tube through an incision in the belly to place a band around the stomach restricting food intake.  The team also reported that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty patients customarily left the hospital on the same day of treatment while laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients stayed for about three days and laparoscopic banding patients for a day and a half.  When examining cost researchers reported endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty resulted in the lowestcost with an average institutional procedure cost of  compared to  for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and  for laparoscopic banding. For years patients seeking weightloss interventions had limited options because they could not tolerate or did not want surgery or it was not even an option for them added Dr. Sharaiha. Our research shows that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty can be the treatment theyve been looking for. Its less invasive than surgery and helps them reach their health goals. Obesity is associated with heart disease stroke diabetes and some cancers and researchers estimate that it is the secondleading cause of preventable death after tobacco use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC estimates that more than one in three U.S. adults is obese having a body mass index of  or more. The CDC estimated the medical cost of obesity in the U.S. at approximately  billion in . Globally the World Health Organization estimates that more than  million people were obese in .   Dr. Reem Z. Sharaiha will present data from the study Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and Laparoscopic Band for Weight Loss How Do They Compare abstract  on Saturday May  at  a.m. CT in S of McCormick Place. For more information about featured studies as well as a schedule of availability for featured researchers please visit http Dr. Sharaiha did not have any disclosures for DDW research.  Digestive Disease Week DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology hepatology endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases AASLD the American Gastroenterological Association AGA Institute the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy ASGE and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract SSAT DDW takes place May   at McCormick Place Chicago. The meeting showcases more than  abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research medicine and technology. More information can be found at http"