Data Shows Incision-free Procedure Reverses Weight Regain
after Gastric Bypass Surgery

June 29, 2009

By Jackie Carr

Patients who have regained weight after gastric bypass surgery now have access to an incisionless procedure that appears highly effective at reversing weight gain, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. Santiago Horgan, MD, professor of surgery and director of the Center for the Treatment of Obesity at UC San Diego, presented six-month outcomes from a national registry of 116 patients who underwent the procedure, known as ROSE (Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal). 

Santiago Horgan, MD, is a pioneer in scarless weight loss procedures.

 “We believe this registry represents the largest collection of data showing the effectiveness, safety and durability of the ROSE procedure,” said Horgan. “There are not many options to repair a failing gastric bypass. Invasive procedures to restore the anatomy are complicated and risky for most patients. In comparison, there were no significant complications associated with ROSE and most of the patients lost clinically relevant amounts of weight.” 

To perform ROSE, a small, flexible endoscope and tools are inserted through the mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach pouch during an outpatient procedure. The tools, developed by USGI Medical Inc., are used to grasp, fold and stitch tissue to reduce both the diameter of the stomach opening and the volume of the stomach pouch. No cuts are made into the patient’s skin.

The registry data showed that 88 percent of the patients stopped regaining weight after ROSE.  Overall, these 96 patients lost an average 18 percent of their excess weight six months after the procedure.  For the purposes of the registry, excess body weight is defined as anything over a body mass index rating of 55.

One patient in the study lost 66 pounds or 84 percent of her excess weight during that six-month time period.  Patients who were most successful losing weight after their original gastric bypass had the best results following the ROSE procedure.  This subset of patients dropped 29 percent of their excess weight during the six months after ROSE.

Up to 50 percent of patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery begin to regain weight after two years. This often occurs because the stomach pouch and stoma, the opening to the small intestine, slowly stretch out, allowing the patient to eat more without feeling full.

Media Contact: Jackie Carr, 619-543-6163, jcarr@ucsd.edu