Endoscopic Bariatric Procedures and Devices

The interest in endoscopic treatment of obese patients is growing as a result of the technical development of endoscopic devices and because several studies have shown that most patients do not need the substantial weight loss afforded by bariatric surgery procedures. Therefore, this article presents the whole range of endoscopic procedures used to treat obese patients. The balloon devices are discussed in more detail because they are currently available in the world market and clinical data are available. This article also describes new techniques and devices in the investigational stage.