One of the latest potential weight loss techniques currently being evaluated in clinical trials is the TOGA System by Satiety, Inc.  Recent news articles have raised awareness about the device and early results show at least some initial benefit following the procedure.  The transoral gastroplasty is done by inserting a stapling device through the mouth into the stomach and creating a smaller pouch to hold food.  The advantage of this technique is the avoidance of the tiny laproscopic abdominal incisions needed to perform gastric banding, bypass, and sleeve gastrectomies.  However, like the other procedures, general anesthesia is still currently required with the TOGA procedure. 

Whereas the durability of the weight loss from bypass, gastric band, and sleeve gastrectomy is well documented, whether this will hold true for the TOGA procedure is still very much undetermined.  The TOGA procedure is most similar to the gastric stapling procedure, which was abandoned 20 years ago because the majority of patients regained their weight as the staple lines eventually reopened.  This does not occur with a properly performed sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass as the stomach is completed divided, not just stapled. 

It is still too soon to tell if the TOGA procedure will have long term benefits.  As we have always done, Dr. Atkinson and I will continue to monitor the newest weight loss techniques to decide if they can be of benefit to our patients in Las Vegas. 

– Dr. Darren Soong