In the most general definition, gastric folding surgery is the procedure of folding the stomach on itself. This procedure, which is one of the preferred methods in obesity treatment, is often confused with sleeve gastrectomy. However, these two processes are very different from each other. In this process called gastric plication, the stomach is folded inward.

A longitudinal stomach narrowing is performed. The purpose of this process, namely the narrowing of the stomach, is to reduce the speed of food passage. We will also convey who can benefit from gastric folding, surgery prices and other questions about this issue. But first, let’s examine how the surgery is performed much more closely.

How Is Gastric Folding Surgery Performed?

First of all, let us state that this surgery is performed under general anesthesia. For this reason, it is not possible for the patient to feel pain during the operation. During the operation, the stomach folds over itself. No incision is applied to the stomach. Therefore, the secretion of the ghrelin hormone continues. At this point, it should be noted that the operation performed and the stomach reduction surgery differed. However, it is necessary to mention a critical factor here.

The fact that ghrelin hormone continues to be secreted due to the absence of an incision in the stomach brings about a decrease in the appetite of the patients. On the other hand, we can state that the complaints of vomiting are also experienced intensely in patients with gastric folding surgery. This is because this surgery has been abandoned in recent years and is not preferred anymore.

Who is Stomach Folding Surgery Performed?

It was not a suitable operation for every patient at the time of the operation in question. In order to benefit from this procedure, body mass index should be slightly lower. Surgery was seen as an ideal option for patients with a body mass index between 30 and 35. At the same time, in order for this procedure to be performed, the patient should not have a different health problem that may prevent the operation.

Of course, since it is inconvenient to perform any surgery during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the person should not be pregnant and have completed the postnatal breastfeeding period. However, it is useful to remind again. Although this surgery is a preferred method in the long-term obesity treatment, it is a method that has been abandoned today due to various reasons.

What are the Risks and Complications of Gastric Folding Surgery?

First of all, it should be noted that the gastric folding operation is mostly performed with laparoscopic technique. Therefore, some of the risks in open surgery are not valid in this surgery. 5 incisions, in millimetric sizes, are applied to the abdomen of the patient. The operation is performed by reaching the stomach through these millimetric incisions. A long incision is not applied to the patient’s skin. The goal is to leave less space in the stomach for food.

Since the operation is performed under general anesthesia, risks related to anesthesia also apply in this operation. It should also be noted that the risk of bleeding and infection is also present, even if it is minimal. Since there is less food space, it is aimed for the patient to reach the saturation point by consuming less food.

However, as we mentioned before, there is no decrease in appetite. Therefore, patients may continue to consume as much food as before surgery. The fact that there is no reduction in the desire to eat is the most important reason for abandonment of this surgery.

Weight loss is aimed with the stomach being reduced by approximately 70% in terms of volume. Complications include vomiting, which is extremely common after surgery. Another risk of complications is continued weight gain. At the same time, a re-enlargement may occur in the stomach, and in this case, a re-operation is required.

The reason for this is that the patient’s appetite does not decrease. If the patient continues to consume too much food after the operation, it may cause an enlargement in the stomach again. This is one of the reasons why this procedure is not preferred today.

How Much Are Stomach Folding Surgery Prices?

Those who have obesity problems may also want to have information about the prices of gastric folding surgery. However, mentioning a number at the price point may unfortunately mislead patients. Prices may vary depending on various reasons. Many factors such as which doctor is preferred and the medical devices used during the operation also affect the prices. For this reason, patients must first be examined by appointment. Factors such as the patient’s eating habits, history, and current health problems are evaluated together. Afterwards, an operation planning is made and a clear price information is sent to the patient.

However, there are different solutions to the obesity problem. It would also be useful to get information about more effective and higher success rates of obesity surgery methods. The prices of these procedures, which offer a more comfortable recovery period for the patient, may also be different. It will be useful to consult your doctor about this. You can get much more detailed information about both ideal treatment procedures and prices.

What Should Be Considered After Stomach Fold?

Of course, some issues should be paid maximum attention to after surgery. First of all, it is very important to consider the doctor’s suggestions and warnings about nutrition and to apply it exactly. After the operation, pre-operative eating habits should never be continued. The nutrition program prepared by the dietician specifically for the patient should be applied. It is also important for the patient to exercise lightly after recovery. After a while, the weight loss goal can be achieved if regular sports and diet programs are continued.

The important thing here is appetite control. We can say that the patients have difficulty in the appetite point due to the lack of a decrease in appetite after gastric folding operation. Therefore, unlike other bariatric surgery methods, appetite control of patients is much more important and a more challenging process is experienced in this regard. Therefore, it will be beneficial for those who have obesity problems to consult an experienced doctor in this field first and learn which treatment method is more appropriate for them.

What are the Advantages of Gastric Folding Surgery?

In general, gastric folding surgery is not one of the bariatric surgery methods that offers many advantages. At the advantage point, it can be mentioned that there are not too many incisions on the patient’s skin. Naturally, there is no long surgical suture scar on the abdomen. It is not a very difficult procedure for patients at the point of stitch healing. Since only a micro-based incision is applied, the risk of infection is much less compared to open surgery techniques.

There may be mild pain after the operation. The mild pain complaint is mostly temporary, but the complaint of nausea or vomiting, especially after meals, can be observed in almost every patient. Complaints due to vomiting are common.

At the same time, a foreign object is not placed in the patient’s stomach in this operation. For this reason, there is no such thing as an allergic reaction to the foreign object. It is not possible for the patient to be re-operated due to an allergic reaction and the foreign object to be removed and evacuated from the body. You can write your questions about stomach folding operation in the comments section.