Belgian surgeons perform minimally invasive gastric bypass

Surgeons from the Hospital Netwerk Antwerpen (ZNA) in March performed a gastrointestinal reduction through the oesophagus for an obese patient, a first in Belgium. The new procedure takes place under complete anesthesia and lasts 90 minutes. Using a flexible tube through the oesophagus, the surgeon staples part of the stomach so that the patient is forced to eat less, writes De Standaard.

By performing the gastrointestinal reduction surgery through the oesophagus, the hospital group can now treat obese patients, with a BMI between 30 and 35, for less money and without any external scars.

"No scars and back home the same day,” says surgeon Stijn Heyman in the newspaper. “You can expect a weight loss of about 20kg in 12 months." He sees added value for patients who have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight through diet and exercise, and who are not eligible for another type of surgery.

The surgery costs about €4,000, compared with €7,000-8,000 for a traditional bypass operation. A request has been submitted to the government to include the procedure under the official list of covered health care costs.