In July, Washington University physicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital performed the first nonsurgical procedure in the United States that restricts the size of the stomach to treat obesity.
The procedure was performed as part of the TOGA (transoral gastroplasty) Pivotal Trial, a multicenter study evaluating an incision-free procedure using the TOGA® System.
The TOGA procedure restricts the stomach size to give a feeling of fullness after a small meal. The difference between surgery to treat obesity and the TOGA procedure is that the latter technique
is performed through the mouth, without any incisions.
Pilot study results show patients don’t lose as much weight as quickly compared to gastric bypass surgery. The TOGA procedure, however, offers a quicker recovery period, shortened hospital stay and decreased risk of complications.