Gastric Imbrication (Gastric Plication)
Our Commitment to You
At Weight Loss Institute of Arizona, our highly trained surgeons and staff are dedicated to your health. With us, you have a partner on your weight loss journey. We are here for you around the clock, offering support for 3 full years following your procedure. We share your goal of a healthier, more fulfilling life, and your success is our top priority.
At Weight Loss Institute of Arizona, weight loss surgery options are customized to meet each patient's unique needs. In order to achieve the best results for the most patients, we offer a full range of leading edge bariatric procedures. Laparoscopic gastric imbrication (or gastric plication) is an excellent choice for patients who may not be ideal candidates for a bypass procedure, the LAP-BAND® or the gastric sleeve procedure. Our surgeons have helped many women and men to attain a healthier weight and fuller life with this innovative and safe procedure.
If you would like to learn more about this procedure or other forms of surgical weight loss in Phoenix, request your complimentary consultation online, or RSVP to one of our weight loss seminars today.
Understanding Gastric Imbrication
Gastric imbrication is a laparoscopic procedure and can be done on an outpatient basis. In the procedure, the stomach is folded over and sutured multiple times, until the stomach pouch results in a sleeve-like configuration, with a greatly reduced capacity.
Because the stomach tissue is folded in on itself, rather than cut, and the risk of leaks or narrowing is reduced. There is no cutting, stapling or re-routing as there is in a bypass procedure, nor is there any implanted medical device as there is with gastric banding. Malabsorption (where the body is unable to process nutrients as effectively) is not an issue with an imbrication procedure because the digestive system remains intact, while the size of the stomach is reduced.
The reduced stomach size allows the patient a feeling of fullness with a very small amount of food, and as a result, the patient eats less and loses weight. Average weight loss can be between that of a gastric band and a gastric sleeve; however, because the procedure is new, there is not a significant amount of data available. Although preliminary results have shown gastric imbrication to be advantageous, only a handful of procedures have been performed at this time.
Gastric imbrication offers many advantages to surgical weight loss patients. It is:
- No intestinal re-routing
- Minimally invasive
- Safer than some other alternatives
Because there is no cutting or removing of tissue, the risk of surgical complications such as bleeding and infection are greatly reduced.
Real patients discuss their weight loss journeys, and how they regained their health and their lives with the help of Weight Loss Institute of Arizona.