A new technique that involves folding the stomach into pleats is being tested as a potentially less risky form of weight-loss surgery. It involves no incisions, the entire procedure can be done via a tube passed down the throat and the patient can go home the same day. Weight-loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, is available on the NHS to those who are morbidly obese with a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 — or to those who have a BMI of 35 to 40, but whose weight is causing a serious, obesity-related health complaint, such as type 2 diabetes. Scroll down for video . The new surgery does not require any incisions to be made and involves folding the stomach into pleats, shrinking it and preventing it expanding to accommodate food . Thousands already have the surgery each year and, recently, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence proposed that those newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who have a BMI of 30 or above should be considered for it, too. Currently, the procedures most often performed involve using a gastric band that reduces the stomach size, so less food is needed to make you feel full, or a gastric bypass. This involves re-routing the stomach to join a lower section of the intestines, reducing the size of the stomach and bypassing part of the small intestine, cutting the amount of calories and nutrients absorbed. The other option is a sleeve gastrectomy, involving removal of part of the stomach. However, these all involve incisions in the abdomen, which carries risk of infection (affecting around one in 20), blood clots in the legs or lungs and internal bleeding, each of which affects around one in 100. Patients also need to stay in hospital for a least a night, if not longer. The new technique, called Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal, is less invasive and, researchers say, causes less post-operative pain, has reduced risk of infection and leaves no external scars. The surgeon works through a tube or endoscope, which goes down the throat into the stomach. Once in place, it is used to gather up the stomach wall and lining. A stitch is pushed through the gathered tissue and ‘anchors’ placed on either side to hold the fold in place. The process is repeated, making several folds to shrink the stomach and prevent it expanding to accommodate food. The technique has already been tested in small trials in Europe. In a Spanish study, 22 patients reported feeling full faster after the procedure and, after a year, had lost an average 62 per cent of their excess weight. Most returned to work without bandages or signs of surgery within two to three days, unlike traditional bariatric surgery, where it can take weeks or months to resume normal activities. In a Spanish study, most of the patients returned to work without bandages or any signs of having had the surgery within two to three days (file image) Around 300 people are now taking part in a new trial to further test its efficacy at a number of centres in the U.S. — the treatment is already approved for UK use. Dr Thomas Lavin, of The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana, who is leading the new trial, says: ‘It could mean tens of thousands of patients may have an incredibly compelling new option to consider if they’ve struggled to lose weight with diet and exercise, but aren’t candidates for, or are not prepared to accept the risk of, traditional bariatric surgery.’ Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, says: ‘This is a very interesting concept and seems plausible. It is less invasive and more patient-friendly than other therapies — and that is something we really do need. ‘Over the past ten years, there have been a succession of advances in bariatric surgery, and we have moved from the scalpel to the endoscope. This could be a very useful treatment.’ Meanwhile, obese adults who lose at least 5 per cent of their body weight will feel and sleep better, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. In a two-year study involving 390 obese adults following a variety of weight-loss programmes, those who lost at least 5 per cent of their weight at six months managed to sleep 21.6 minutes more than at their heaviest. Those who lost less weight had only 1.2 minutes more sleep each night. Similarly, patients who lost more than 5 per cent reported improvements to their symptoms of depression, compared with participants who lost less than 5 per cent.
It is called Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal and is far less invasive . Technique folds the stomach into pleats, preventing expansion for food . The whole procedure is done via a tube that is passed down the throat . Most people can return to work within two or three days of the surgery .