EGD with Sclerotherapy

After gastric bypass surgery, the remaining stomach pouch works optimally when the small opening keeps food in the pouch for a longer period of time. In some patients, however, as time passes, the opening can enlarge slightly causing the procedure to become less effective.

How Sclerotherapy Works:

Sclerotherapy, in general terms, is a procedure that treats issues associated with blood vessels. It is an outpatient procedure available for gastric bypass patients who have a dilated (enlarged) opening in their pouch. The procedure may be helpful in preventing additional surgery and may assist the patient with continued optimal weight loss. It involves injecting an irritant around the opening from the pouch to the intestines. The body then reacts to the irritant by constricting (decreasing) the opening.

Who does Sclerotherapy Help?

This procedure can be very helpful for patients who have had gastric bypass surgery and have lost a fair amount of weight, but continue to struggle with the sensation that they can eat more than they could immediately following surgery. The procedure involves having an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) to evaluate the size of the pouch opening. If the opening is deemed large, then the irritant can be applied to decrease its size. In some cases, it may take more than one application to get the opening to constrict to the desired size.