NEW TECHNIQUE FOR OBESITY SURGERY: INTERNAL GASTRIC PLICATION TECHNIQUE USING INTRAGASTRIC SINGLE-PORT (IGS-IGP) IN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective method to ameliorate co-morbidities as consequence of morbidly obese patients with BMI over 35 kg/m(2). Endoscopic techniques have been developed to treat patients with mild obesity and ameliorate comorbidities, but endoscopic skills are needed, beside the costs of the devices. AIM: To report a new technique for internal gastric plication using an intragastric single port device in an experimental swine model. METHODS: Twenty experiments using fresh pig cadaver stomachs in a laparoscopic trainer were performed. The procedure was performed as follow in ten pigs: 1) volume measure; 2) insufflation of the stomach with CO2; 3) extroversion of the stomach through the simulator and installation of the single port device (Gelpoint Applied Mini) through a gastrotomy close to the pylorus; 4) performance of four intragastric handsewn 4-point sutures with Prolene 2-0, from the gastric fundus to the antrum; 5) after the performance, the residual volume was measured. Sleeve gastrectomy was also performed in further ten pigs and pre- and post-procedure gastric volume were measured. RESULTS: The internal gastric plication technique was performed successfully in the ten swine experiments. The mean procedure time was 27±4 min. It produced a reduction of gastric volume of a mean of 51%, and sleeve gastrectomy, a mean of 90% in this swine model. CONCLUSION: The internal gastric plication technique using an intragastric single port device required few skills to perform, had low operative time and achieved good reduction (51%) of gastric volume in an in vitro experimental model.