Shan YZ, Qin Y, Liu HY, Zhou YH, Cao Q, Jiao Y. Minimally invasive approaches to obesity: Evaluating the efficacy and safety of endoscopic gastroplasty. World J Gastrointest Endosc 2025; 17(8): 110335 [DOI: 10.4253/wjge.v17.i8.110335]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yan Jiao, PhD, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 1 Xinmin Street, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China. lagelangri1@126.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Yue-Zhan Shan, Hong-Yang Liu, Qun Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, Jilin Province, China
Yu Qin, Department of Emergency Intensive Care Unit Room, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
Yuan-Hang Zhou, Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, Shengli Oilfield Central Hospital, Dongying 257034, Shandong Province, China
Yan Jiao, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Qun Cao and Yan Jiao.
Author contributions: Shan YZ contributed to the writing and editing of the manuscript, illustrations, and review of the literature; Qin Y designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Liu HY and Zhou YH contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript; Cao Q and Jiao Y have played important and indispensable roles in the writing and editing of the manuscript as the co-corresponding authors; all of the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yan Jiao, PhD, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 1 Xinmin Street, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China. lagelangri1@126.com
Received: June 5, 2025 Revised: June 12, 2025 Accepted: July 16, 2025 Published online: August 16, 2025 Processing time: 71 Days and 22.6 Hours
Abstract
Obesity is a major global health issue, contributing to numerous comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. While bariatric surgery remains the gold standard for treating severe obesity, its invasive nature has led to the development of minimally invasive alternatives. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a promising, minimally invasive procedure for weight loss, offering significant weight reduction without the need for surgical incisions. This editorial evaluates the efficacy and safety of ESG, highlighting its weight loss outcomes, safety profile, and comparison with other bariatric procedures, including intragastric balloon, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, and robotic sleeve gastrectomy. ESG has shown substantial weight loss with a mean total weight loss ranging from 15.03% to 17.51% at 12 months and sustained weight reduction over 36 months. The safety profile is favorable, with low rates of serious adverse events and minimal complications compared to surgical alternatives. ESG is particularly suited for patients with mild to moderate obesity or those not eligible for surgical options. However, further long-term studies and standardized protocols are needed to refine patient selection and optimize treatment outcomes.
Core Tip: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) offers a safe and effective minimally invasive option for weight loss, achieving significant and sustained weight reduction, particularly in patients with mild to moderate obesity. With a favorable safety profile and reversibility, ESG serves as a promising alternative to traditional bariatric surgeries, including laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and intragastric balloon procedures.
