Cleveland Clinic: Newer Treatment Options Offer Hope in Tackling Obesity Pandemic

March 3, 2022, CLEVELAND: According to the World Health Organization, around 650 million adults and a growing proportion of children worldwide have obesity. The disease is widely recognized as a pandemic and is associated with many cancers and metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, hypertension, and osteoporosis.

Minimally invasive and scarless endoscopic procedures are expanding the range of treatment options available for patients with the complex, chronic disease of obesity, offering hope where other weight loss methods have failed or where surgery is not an option for medical or personal reasons, says an expert from global health system Cleveland Clinic ahead of World Obesity Day on March 4.

Tackling the Obesity Pandemic

While dietary and lifestyle modifications, medication, and bariatric (weight loss) surgery were the traditional mainstays for treating obesity, the last decade saw the emergence of several procedures that use an endoscope.

This is a flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it that is passed through the mouth, explains Dr. Roberto Simons-Linares, Director of Bariatric Endoscopy at Cleveland Clinic.

Innovative obesity solutions

“Endoscopic procedures are bridging the gap between medication and surgery,” says Dr. Simons-Linares.

“As a rule of thumb, the more invasive the approach, the higher the weight loss. At the lowest end of the invasiveness scale, we have medication and lifestyle modifications, which may not work for many people. At the highest end, we have surgery, which is highly effective, but not everyone is eligible.

In addition, we have found that only 1% of eligible patients actually undergo bariatric surgery – this could be for a multitude of reasons, from lack of access to personal choice. The less-invasive, same-day endoscopic procedures, therefore, provide important additional treatment options for obesity.”

Am I eligible to try?

Eligibility for bariatric surgery is determined by looking at patients’ body mass index (BMI) — their weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters — and whether they have any weight-related comorbid conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. To be eligible for bariatric surgery, patients need a BMI of 40 or above or a BMI of 35 and above if they have comorbidities.

“Considering that individuals are categorized as having obesity when their BMI is 30 or above, this leaves many patients ineligible for bariatric surgery, so endoscopic procedures offer a viable alternative,” says Dr. Simons-Linares.

The future of obesity solutions

There are three primary endoscopic solutions for patients, with more on the horizon. The current procedures lead to a reduction in calories consumed and are done on an outpatient basis but have different time frames.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty

The first solution, an endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, is intended to be permanent and involves stitching the stomach to reduce its size to that of a banana, similar to the result achieved through a surgical sleeve gastroscopy.

Intragastric balloon

The second involves a space-occupying, satiety-inducing intragastric balloon used for six months, which is endoscopically implanted and removed.

Aspiration therapy

The third is the endoscopic placement of a small tube for aspiration therapy, which enables a patient to remove as much as 30% of gastric contents after a meal, and can be removed after sufficient weight is lost.

Multifunctional solution

Endoscopic methods are also useful as secondary weight loss procedures in instances where a patient has gained weight after bariatric surgery, Dr. Simons-Linares says.

If a patient’s stomach, gastric pouch or anastomosis have stretched after a previous operation, various revision endoscopic techniques ensure that the patient does not have to repeat the original surgery or undergo a more invasive surgical revision.

What is the right treatment method?

Dr. Simons-Linares says he works closely with the patient and a multidisciplinary team of experts in the treatment of obesity to determine which treatment method – from pharmacotherapy through to surgery – is the best option.

In addition, prior to undergoing any procedures, patients are fully evaluated by a multidisciplinary team to assess eligibility, as well as to determine the presence of comorbidities, such as diabetes or sleep apnea, and other factors, such as eating disorders, that also need to be treated.

It is important to note that lifestyle modifications are the cornerstone of any therapy to treat obesity.

“Obesity is a complex disease with many different forms and causes, so no single treatment will work for everybody and sometimes combination therapy is needed.

We know that multiple genetic, biological, developmental, behavioral and environmental factors contribute to weight gain and the development of obesity,” Dr. Simons-Linares says.

“In addition, there is no quick fix to address obesity, and I explain to my patients that all methods will require hard work on their part.

Rather than being seen as simple cures, these endoscopic procedures represent additional tools we have to address the obesity pandemic and its significant impact on population’s health.”

Bottom line

“To maintain weight loss, patients will need to modify their diets and lifestyles in the long term. Having the support of a multidisciplinary team of physicians and other experts including dietitians and psychologists is very important.

Obesity is a chronic condition, with the potential for relapse, so we encourage our patients to continue to check in with us regularly post-procedure so that we can address any issues as they arise. With digital consultations, our international patients can continue regular follow-ups with their care teams.”

About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion, and innovation.

Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 67,554 employees worldwide are more than 4,520 salaried physicians and researchers, and 17,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties.

Cleveland Clinic is a 6,026-bed health system that includes a 165-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 19 hospitals, more than 220 outpatient facilities, and locations in southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2019, there were 9.8 million total outpatient visits, 309,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 255,000 surgical cases throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system.

Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit them here. Follow them on Twitter. News and resources are available here.