Why it's done

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is performed to help you lose weight and potentially lower your risk of serious weight-related health problems, including:

• Heart disease and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
• Sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes
• Osteoarthritis (joint pain)

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and other weight-loss procedures or surgeries are typically done only after you've tried to lose weight by improving your diet and exercise habits.

Who it's for

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is available to people whose body mass index (BMI) is above 30, who haven't been successful in maintaining weight loss with lifestyle modification alone, and who don't qualify or wish to pursue traditional bariatric surgery.

But endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty isn't for everyone who is overweight. A screening process helps doctors see if the procedure might be beneficial for you. And you must be willing to commit to healthy lifestyle changes, regular medical follow-up and participate in behavioral therapy.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty isn't appropriate for anyone who has a large hiatal hernia or a condition associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, such as gastritis or peptic ulcer disease.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is not currently covered by most health insurance.