Gastric Plication

Gastric plication is a type of weight loss surgery that significantly reduces the size of your stomach, even up to 70%. By reducing the size of your stomach, you can feel sated and full more quickly. Therefore, you can eat less while still feeling full. A benefit of this surgery is that it does not affect nutrient absorption.

The effects of this surgery directly depend on you as well. If you can maintain a proper diet and exercise regularly you will lose a lot of weight. According to a study, only 31% of people who underwent this procedure regained their weight after 12 years. The complications of this surgery compared to other weight loss procedures are very little, so little that they have only been seen in 1% of people who had this kind of surgery.

The benefits of gastric plication over other weight loss procedures:

• Lower cost
• Fewer side effects and complications
• No exposure to foreign bodies
• Easy to follow-up
• Less scarring
• Reversible
• Fast recovery

Treatment duration

A typical gastric plication procedure only takes 1-2 hours, however, depending on your condition, you might need to undergo other surgeries. After the surgery, you will be hospitalized for 1-2 days. You will return to your normal life after approximately 10 days.

Paraclinical testing

You will have to undergo several medical tests and consultations. Your heart, liver, kidneys, and glands will all be examined to assess the condition of your health. These tests will also be done periodically after the procedure as well.

Preoperative care, the procedure, and postoperative care

Before the procedure

First of all, inform your physician about any drugs or herbs that you might be using. Tell the physician about your medical history and don’t forget to mention your allergies, if any. Consult your physician about whether or not you should continue to take aspirin or other anticoagulants before the surgery. In addition, you must stop smoking 2 weeks before the surgery because smoking reduces blood flow to tissues and will, therefore, delay your healing process. You must fast 6-12 hours before the surgery.

The gastric plication procedure

Gastric plication is laparoscopic surgery, meaning that the surgeon will only make a very small incision. To insert the camera and tools, 5-6 small incisions are made on the abdomen. The surgeon inserts the tools and begins the procedure with the assistance of the camera. Your stomach is folded one or more times and then it is sutured, thus decreasing its capacity. During this procedure, your stomach and intestines are neither cut, stitched nor stapled.

After the procedure

You must not consume solid food for 6 weeks after the surgery. Consume only soft liquids during the first week, mixed soup during the second, and after that semi-solid and mashed foods until the sixth. The physician will prescribe vitamins and other supplements in addition to some other drugs.

Try to eat slowly to avoid feeling pain or bloating. Avoid food before bed. Do not drink any liquids 30 minutes before or after your meals. If you experience the following symptoms, do not hesitate to contact your physician: fever, severe stomachache, bleeding, and pus-like secretions.

Who should get a gastric plication?

People who are 30-40 kg overweight might need to undergo a gastric plication procedure. The patient must cooperate with regards to diet and exercise.

Duration of hospitalization

After the surgery, you will be taken to the surgical ward and you will be under the supervision of physicians for 1-2 nights.