Your surgeon will first cut 3-5 incisions in the abdomen during the operation while you are under anesthesia. The surgeon will insert a laparoscope, or small video camera, which guides the entire surgical procedure.

This minimally invasive procedure cuts down on the recovery time due to the simplicity and no-cutting method. The plication procedure utilizes a sewing and folding technique, which sews 1 to 3 folds in the stomach to reduce the stomach capacity by roughly 70%. 

This small stomach holds significantly less food, lowering how much you eat by filling you up quickly and reducing your appetite. No stapling or cutting is done to the stomach for this procedure, and it has the potential to be reversed. If needed, it can also be converted to another type of weight loss procedure, such as a gastric bypass or banding procedure. The entire surgery duration takes approximately 1-2 hours.

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Risks of Gastric Sleeve Plication

The risks associated with the gastric plication procedure are very similar to other types of laparoscopic procedures. They include the risk of bleeding, infection, blood clots, and potential injury to other organs during the process. If you have more severe complications, it may need to be reversed or converted to another type of procedure. This is extremely rare, however. There is a sporadic risk of leaking from the suture line. After the surgery, keep an eye out for red flags that might signal complications. This includes redness or warmth around the incision site, which might mean an infection, severe abdominal pain, dizziness, or excessive vomiting. If you have these or other problematic side effects, consult your doctor right away.