About Gastric Plication
The Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve is an exclusive offering at OCC. It is the latest weight-loss procedure that involves the creation of a stomach sleeve, enabling patients to experience quicker satisfaction from food and consume reduced portions.
- Cost: Starting at $4,900
- Recovery: Patients will have lifting and activity restrictions for about about 6 weeks after surgery
- Included in Cost: Pricing covers pre-op testing, surgery, anesthesia, post-op care, transportation, medications, 5-year follow-up, and 24/7 aftercare. Airfare is not included
- Discomfort: Minimal
Some of Our Patient Before & After Images
Obesity Control Center: At the forefront in bariatric surgery
The newest weight-loss procedure in the bariatric surgery industry is called Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve®. This innovative surgery is an alternative version of the traditional gastric sleeve. Obesity Control Center holds the world's highest safety standards from the Joint Commission and is a Certified International Center for Excellence. These designations put OCC in the class of the finest bariatric surgery centers in the world for patient health and safety, exceeding many American hospitals. 10, 11, 12
What is gastric plication surgery?
The newest weight-loss procedure, known as gastric plication surgery, involves creating a sleeve within the stomach that helps patients feel satisfied by food much faster and consume smaller amounts of food. 10, 11, 12
What can plication surgery treat?
This advanced surgery treats obesity, metabolic disease, sleep apnea, diabetes. Bariatric surgery can also reduce high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and lower the risk of heart disease and heart failure. 10-12
Is it safe?
Highest rated, with safety standards that exceed most American hospitals. Certified by the Joint Commission, and a certified International Center for Excellence. Very few international hospitals achieve this status, and many American hospitals do not. 10-12
What is gastric plication (Stomach-Sparing Gastric Sleeve) surgery?
The Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve® is a new weight loss surgery technique.
Gastric plication is one of the newest weight loss innovations available at Obesity Control Center in Tijuana, MX, and medical professionals are already calling it the most exciting advancement in the field since the adjustable Lap-Band. Also known as the Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve™, this innovative procedure, available exclusively at Obesity Control Center, has shown to produce significant weight loss results for patients who are dealing with weight gain and obesity. 10-12
Gastric plication benefits
Studies have shown that gastric plication resolves some of the potential complications associated with traditional gastric sleeves related to the suturing process. The procedure has also been recommended as the ideal revision surgery for patients who have experienced complications from lap band surgery.
Study finds gastric plication comparable to gastric bypass outcomes.
A study published in Bariatric Times showed that weight loss outcomes for both male and female patients were very significant and comparable to that of gastric bypass surgery.
Because the procedure has proven to achieve such remarkable results, gastric plication now accounts for a significant portion of all weight loss surgeries performed at the Obesity Control Center in Mexico. 1-3, 11, 12
Schedule a gastric plication consultation today
Call or email us here to talk with one of our US-based coordinators. Learn how you can get the life you’ve always wanted with the help of the Obesity Control Center. 1-3, 11, 12
Patient Success Stories
Cameron
-185 lbs
I can never express enough how grateful I am for what OCC has done for me.
I was considered overweight and obese my entire life. At 35, after years of failed diets, therapy, and research, I realized that the only way for me to permanently loose weight was to have bariatric surgery. My doctors in the US wrote letters to my insurance, emphasizing the medical necessity of this surgery. But after a year of back and forth, my insurance turned me down. I thought all hope was lost until I heard about OCC from a friend. I’d never even heard of traveling to Mexico for surgery, but, after researching and talking to the OCC, I was all in. And I’m so glad I made this choice. The amount of guidance and care I received from OCC from the moment I called for information has been better than anything I’ve experienced in the US. The procedure was smooth—I felt safe and in good hands the entire time.
View all Before & After Patient Stories
Tricia
-100 lbs
It’s highly reputable reputation and accreditation’s.
I was sick of being sick. I suffered from type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. I have two small children and was sick of being tired all the time and sitting on the sidelines. I decided I didn’t want to live this life anymore. That’s when I reached out to OCC and it was the best decision I ever made. I am now actually living and making each day count.
View all Before & After Patient Stories
Celeste
-203 lbs
I needed a drastic change.
I had tried losing weight and failed on my own so many times before that I just knew I could no longer do it on my own. My health insurance benefits excluded weight loss surgery and I felt so defeated! I didn’t want the insurance companies to decide what I knew I needed. It wasn’t until I started searching for cash-pay costs that I ran across the OCC website (and several others). I looked at their testimonials and tried to find some of those people – I reached out to them on social media to get their thoughts. I started doing research on Dr. Ortiz. I researched the accreditations and certifications that the OCC held and was liking what I was learning. I looked into other facilities and Dr.’s, but none of them seemed to have as high of standards as OCC. After doing research and talking with others about their experiences both at OCC and at other facilities, I decided that it was time to get more information directly from OCC.
View all Before & After Patient Stories
Charlie
-155 lbs
OCC, you gave me not only my life back, you gave me my smile back…
I have struggled with my weight my entire life. In the long run it became not only emotionally, but also medically necessary to make a drastic change in my life. I was recommended by a family friend who is also a Nurse Practitioner and she recommended me to OCC, specifically Dr. Ortiz. Of course I was apprehensive of the thought of having surgery in Mexico but she reassured me that she took care of several of OCC’s patients right here in my hometown and that if anyone knew exactly what they were doing it was OCC. I researched OCC as well as others, both domestic and foreign, and came to the conclusion that OCC was without a doubt one of the best, if not the best. From the first call to the coordinator to the moment I left Tijuana headed back home, I was treated with support, kindness, compassion, and empathy.
View all Before & After Patient Stories
Jamie
-73 lbs
I did quite a bit of reading and felt OCC was the best choice and it was!
I have struggled with my weight for all of my adult years, my highest weight was 245 at one time. I maintained my weight loss around 165 lbs until about 2 years ago when my band started not holding any fluid and realized it had a leak. I started regaining weight and put on about 50 lbs. My experience with OCC and Dr. Ortiz was wonderful! I decided to revise to the gastric sleeve and everything was great, we stayed at a very nice hotel , and the staff there was just as good. I had excellent medical care from the start. I would absolutely recommend OCC to anyone who is struggling with their weight. I am now down about 80 lbs and have never felt better. I work out with a personal trainer and run 5ks!
View all Before & After Patient Stories
Elyse
-65 lbs
Safety, professionalism, knowledge, accreditation.
I was tired of being fat, and for most 215 isn’t that bad. But for me I felt disgusting. I’m use to bring the pretty sexy one. Not the chubby funny girl. I didn’t know that out of country surgery was even a possibility. I had a friend have it done in Mexico and I was like I want that. I booked with another company and after research I found that they had a death and complications. They also used drain tubes which did not sound like fun! Then I found OCC and saw all the great reviews, no deaths and no drain tubes. I was so nervous yet excited. My experience was nothing but positive. I even came home early I was doing so well. I have tried every diet, I exercised regularly and I just kept gaining. This tool has helped me so much. I still continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly but now I actually see results or my hard work. This isn’t the easy way out you still have to put the work in.
View all Before & After Patient StoriesWhy choose OCC?
OCC is a world-class, exclusive surgery center located in Mexico, one mile from the border, and just a 30 minute drive from San Diego airport. Our surgical team has over 25 years specializing in the field. We were some of the first to perform several groundbreaking bariatric surgical procedures, and have contributed to the development of newer, better surgical techniques, less invasive, more effective, and with a faster recovery time.
An extraordinary record of successful bariatric surgeries
We have international recognition, hold U.S. certifications, and are proud of our very impressive track record of successful obesity treatments, including gastric plication – a newer option that we have helped to pioneer. If you are considering bariatric surgery, you will be under the care of some of the world’s most respected bariatric surgery specialists. Beyond our state-of-the-art surgery center, outstanding success rate, and extensive experience, you can expect:
- Three master bariatric surgeons will be caring for you. You’re always in the hands of a world-renowned and highly-trained surgeon. We are the only international team of bariatric surgeons, offering globalized bariatric healthcare and the best of the best to our patients.
- We have been fully accredited by Joint Commission International for two 3-year periods. JCI partners with hospitals, clinics, academic medical centers, health systems and agencies, government ministries, academia, and international advocates in over 100 countries to promote the strictest and highest standards of care.
- We are accredited as a Center of Excellence in Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery. We are the recipients of a Golden Seal awarded by the Joint Commission International that signifies that we met the highest standards in patient safety and quality available.
- We have pioneered newer bariatric surgery procedures, including several registered techniques, patented devices, and many “firsts” in the field like teenage obesity treatments, the IGS Improved Gastric Sleeve®, the Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve®, the Double-Buttress Sewing Technique and more.
- We focus on bariatric surgeries that have better outcomes and a faster recovery, with shorter times under general anesthesia and non-invasive abdominal wall preservation techniques.
- We deliver comprehensive guidance to our patients in pre-surgery education and preparation and deliver a 5-year follow-up program, an industry first!
Gastric plication– Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve® FAQ
Who is an ideal candidate for gastric plication surgery?
Why is gastric plication called “metabolic surgery?”
How do I prepare for gastric plication surgery?
Will I be on a pre-surgery diet?
Gastric Surgery in Mexico, really?
What’s the price for a gastric plication?
What is included in your gastric plication surgery package at OCC
How much weight should I expect to lose?
A superior approach to weight loss surgery – our process.
What makes OCC plication different from surgeries performed elsewhere?
Planning gastric plication surgery
Better outcomes with reduced risk of heartburn or reflux after surgery.
Who is an ideal candidate for gastric plication surgery?
Someone in good overall health, who is prepared to minimize their food intake for significant weight loss results, is ideal. If you carry excess weight and have a BMI above 30, you are a good candidate for gastric sleeve plication surgery in Mexico.
Why is gastric plication called “metabolic surgery?”
In the fight against obesity and excess weight, weight loss surgeries, such as bariatric surgery, deliver lasting weight loss. Recent advances in the medical field have proven that these weight loss surgeries not only dramatically influence the excess weight a patient carries, but it also balances the metabolism, especially the insulin and blood sugar levels. Medical professionals don’t completely understand how bariatric procedures, like gastric sleeve plication surgery, regulate insulin, blood sugar, diabetes, cholesterol, lipids, and sleep disorders (sleep apnea) but it is a fact that it has a direct impact for many patients.
How do I prepare for gastric plication surgery?
Like in life, mental, physical, and nutritional preparation is essential to achieve the best outcome. Additional requirements may be suggested for you, depending on your condition.
Preoperative weight loss helps to detox your liver, making it lighter, and resulting in a quicker, safer weight loss procedure with less impact on your body. Even 5% reduction of your total body weight loss can lead to a dramatic improvement in your ability to respond to surgical stress.
Will I be on a pre-surgery diet?
Nourishment at a cellular level allows your body to compensate for the deficiencies you have accumulated over the years and the deficiencies that occur after undergoing weight loss surgery. Research reveals that the best way to replenish these deficiencies is with Bariatric Supplementation. This means that a Bariatric Multivitamin and a Bariatric Protein source before undergoing Gastric Plication surgery will enormously increase your safety profile and help you achieve a successful outcome. Mental preparation includes looking at the way we relate to food and being proactive in the first steps to a healthier diet and sustainable lifestyle.
Gastric Surgery in Mexico, really?
At OCC, we have over 26,000 patients that have traveled to our Tijuana practice outside of San Diego with no major security incidents. Our state-of-the-art medical facility is in the heart of the commercial district, less than half a mile from the international border to the U.S.A. Tijuana, Mexico is now the second busiest medical destination for traveling patients. As one of the top medical facilities performing weight loss surgeries, OCC boasts four full United States-based accreditations for health and safety in performing bariatric surgery, including gastric plication surgery.
What’s the price for a gastric plication?
Depending on the surgery selected as being most appropriate for you, the prices can vary from around $4,900 to $9,000 dollars. We suggest you read our testimonials online, talk to other patients, and don’t be misled by price. The savings by coming to OCC is in the range of 50% of the cost of this surgery in the USA. Don’t take risks by seeking the lowest price – it is vital that you are under the care of bariatric surgeons with a reputation for excellence. Your health and wellbeing are of primary concern.
What is included in your gastric plication surgery package at OCC
- 1 night stay at our world-renowned hospital
- 1 night stay at a local 5-star hotel
- Luxury transportation to and from the San Diego International Airport
- Team of three board-certified surgeons, including two anesthesiologists
- All operating room costs and surgical materials
- All pre-op evaluations and follow-up care
How much weight should I expect to lose?
Gastric sleeve plication surgery delivers substantial weight loss in a relatively short period of time. Gastric sleeve plication surgery patients report about 65% EWL (excess weight loss) by 18 months post-surgery. For example, surgery patients with 100 lbs. excess weight typically lose in the range of 65 pounds.
A superior approach to weight loss surgery – our process.
Other factors that influence the total weight loss include the patient’s preparation for gastric sleeve surgery. This includes mental, physical, and nutritional preparation to lose weight. Pre-operative preparations include supplementation, protein intake, and reducing food consumption. At OCC, all patients are guided through pre-surgery preparation, along with 5 years of ongoing support following the procedure. OCC wellness is an online program that helps you achieve your goals.
What makes OCC plication different from surgeries performed elsewhere?
The OCC Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve® is a standardized weight loss surgery technique in which the goal is to replicate gastric sleeve surgery. The only difference in this procedure is that the stomach is folded in instead of stapled and resected – a surgical technique that has proven to be extremely beneficial. No one has published a more comprehensive study on the effectiveness of plication and The Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve® than the Obesity Control Center.
Planning gastric plication surgery
Our surgical technique includes calculating the size of the residual volume and the pressure in the stomach while surgically performing the inward folds to reduce stomach size. The suture materials, the suturing technique, the layers of folds, and the specific anatomical points including the fundus, the incisure, and the pylorus, or outlet, are all part of this groundbreaking technique and each are addressed to avoid the symptoms that commonly arise with the traditional surgical technique.
Better outcomes with reduced risk of heartburn or reflux after surgery.
Our many patients who have had gastric plication surgery have experienced fewer heartburn symptoms, if any, after surgery. This is a major difference between this procedure and the traditional gastric sleeve that often leads to reflux symptoms.
Gastric plication safety FAQ
How safe is gastric plication surgery?
How do you avoid regaining weight?
What are your complication rates?
What is the mortality rate for gastric plication surgery?
Can gastric plication be performed on patients with preexisting conditions?
What about gastric plication complications?
Will I have chronic heartburn after surgery?
How do the OCC bariatric surgeons help patients avoid complications?
What are the side effects of anesthesia?
Is gastric plication surgery painful?
How about failures and weight regain?
Can the procedure work in a revision?
How safe is gastric plication surgery?
Every bariatric surgeon at Obesity Control Center® performs gastric plication surgeries laparoscopically, a minimally invasive approach. Laparoscopic surgery only requires several small incisions, resulting in a shorter surgery duration and hospital stay, fewer complications, faster full recovery, smaller scars, and less pain than older, open procedures.
How do you avoid regaining weight?
It is common for patients who have undergone bariatric procedures to re-gain weight. The trick is to perform a minimally invasive gastric sleeve plication procedure that limits the amount of weight that can be regained. At OCC, our bariatric surgeries are performed to be safe and effective, and hopefully, permanent weight loss. Weight loss has to do with a structured bariatric program, it’s not just another surgery!
What are your complication rates?
OCC’s complication rates are among the lowest in the published literature. Add that to the benefits of the New Improved Gastric Sleeve, and suddenly the results are more promising than ever.
As indicated in an article found at health.ucsd.edu, gastric plication surgery is safe.
What is the mortality rate for gastric plication surgery?
With a state-of-the-art medical facility in Tijuana, Mexico, our medical team boasts a zero percent mortality rate. Every bariatric surgeon and healthcare provider on our medical staff values health and wellbeing. No bariatric surgeon performs gastric sleeve plication surgery on someone who is at risk of severe complications or other serious side effects.
Can gastric plication be performed on patients with preexisting conditions?
Gastric sleeve surgery patients with preexisting conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, as well as those who have undergone previous abdominal surgeries, are always appropriately evaluated by a healthcare provider on our medical team prior to surgery at our Tijuana practice.
What about gastric plication complications?
Studies have shown that gastric plication surgery can dramatically reduce the risk of complications associated with traditional gastric sleeve surgery, due to our advanced suturing process. The procedure has also been recommended as the ideal revision surgery for patients who have experienced difficult complications from a primary lap band surgery.
Will I have chronic heartburn after surgery?
Like other types of surgical procedures, complications such as leaks, bleeding, hernias, and chronic heartburn. At OCC, we are proud of our record of success in this surgical procedure. With over 26,000 procedures, we have streamlined not just the technique but entire surgical approach to gastric sleeve plication surgery. Preparation is key for success, and a fast recovery and holding your hand at every step.
How do the OCC bariatric surgeons help patients avoid complications?
Our complication rate is one of the lowest found in published literature. Our leak rate is 0%, and with the implementation of the new techniques designed at OCC, our patients lose weight substantially without suffering the undesirable symptom of heartburn or acid reflux.
What are the side effects of anesthesia?
There are symptoms associated with general anesthesia (sleepiness, dizziness, nausea, etc.), and others directly associated with the gastric sleeve itself (cramping, abdominal tenderness, vomiting). Fortunately, with the OCC surgical approach, these symptoms are kept to a minimum and treated early so most patients are up on their feet in a few hours and discharged the morning after. Many are out shopping the day after surgery!
Is gastric plication surgery painful?
Our process at OCC includes a gentle but short procedure that reduces the size of the stomach. The OCC difference includes specialized pencil-thin instruments and bladeless abdominal wall trocars (a medical instrument with a pointed end, inserted within a cannula, or hollow needle, to introduce a port). We use localized abdominal wall blocking agents that diminish the cascade of mediators that lead to pain and inflammation. We use half the amount of gas pressure, where others use 20mm/hg, we use 10 to 12mm/hg. This results in much less of the dreaded “gas pressure pains” associated with laparoscopic surgery. Our operating time is a fraction of the typical time reported in the literature. We’re in no hurry – we achieve these results by having streamlined the process. Less time under anesthesia means quicker full recovery times.
How about failures and weight regain?
On average, most patients can tolerate around 30% of their pre-surgical intake after the stomach or pouch adjusts. This restriction is enough to maintain the weight loss through the years. Patients that expand their stomach to a point where they can eat more than 50% of their pre-surgical intake can be candidates for a quick stomach revision which entails performing a running stitch to adjust the size of the plicated stomach over a calibration tube.
Can the procedure work in a revision?
In fact, this technique is so effective that patients who have a gastric sleeve with the same type of stomach stretching are candidates for the same technique. A simple sewing of the staple line over a calibration tube to adjust the size of the sleeve. These procedures tend to be quick, with little downtime and very effective where patients regain the original restriction they had after the surgical procedure.
Post-surgery FAQ
Can you have a normal life after surgery?
How long will it take to recover?
What happens if I overeat?
How do we prevent ischemia or stomach dying/blood flow issues and herniation?
What is the surgical technique that helps the patient avoid heartburn?
How long does it take for your stomach to heal after gastric plication?
Can you drink alcohol after gastric plication?
What do you eat after gastric plication surgery?
Can you have gastric plication surgery repaired?
How much can your stomach hold after gastric plication?
Can you have a normal life after surgery?
Many patients require several months to adapt to the procedure. This is predictable, so our nutritionist works closely with each patient on a nutritional regimen that is easy to follow, allowing them to gradually move through each stage. You will start with a liquid diet for a few days, then drink liquids including the Bariatric Protein Meals, and then slowly move into soft, mushy food and, finally, a normal diet with a smaller amount of food. The smaller stomach size means you will feel full and satisfied after eating less food.
How long will it take to recover?
Daily activities and exercise should also progress at the same rate, but the surprising fact is that most patients recover much quicker than they expected; in fact, energy levels are usually higher than they thought possible, supported by a nutrition plan includes the Bariatric Multivitamin and Bariatric Protein Shakes our nutritional experts recommend.
What happens if I overeat?
The only thing you can’t do after surgery is overeating without having severe discomfort, nausea, or vomiting. Ideally, most patients are happy and satisfied eating three normal meals a day with three snacks between meals.
How do we prevent ischemia or stomach dying/blood flow issues and herniation?
The Stomach Sparing Gastric Sleeve® is specifically designed to avoid the problems documented with the conventional plication technique. One of these problems was the herniation of the folded stomach through the suture line, a portion of the folded stomach popping out of the containment stitch and predisposing this segment to blood flow restriction due to strangulation. The modern technique avoids this by creating a double layer of running sutures that have been designed to contain effectively without tension over the stomach wall. This is achieved by using proprietary smart calibration tubes that measure the pressure inside of the stomach.
What is the surgical technique that helps the patient avoid heartburn?
The surgical technique is similar to the procedure used in treating gastroesophageal reflux and heartburn. This technique entails the wrapping of the stomach around the highest part of the stomach and esophagus. Hundreds of thousands of these surgeries have been performed and without any adverse reactions in the stomach mucosa, in and around the folds, food stasis (delayed gastric emptying), or other complications. We now know that the plication surgery has the same benign effects when performed with the modern OCC technique.
How long does it take for your stomach to heal after gastric plication?
Recent studies show that the inner lining of the stomach can start healing in as little as 6 hours! It is important to follow all the guidelines that we teach our patients prior to surgery to ensure an uneventful recovery and a positive result.
Can you drink alcohol after gastric plication?
Like any surgery, there is a recovery time, and our nutrition team recommends not drinking for the first four months after your surgical procedure.
What do you eat after gastric plication surgery?
It starts with liquids during the first days then gradually progresses to very soft foods, then to semi-solids to regular food. All this occurs over the first couple of months. The good news is massive weight loss occurs during this time and all the health indicators dramatically improve during this period.
Can you have gastric plication surgery repaired?
Yes, thankfully! This is what we have named the “Sleeve Rescue.” OCC is considered one of the top facilities for revision surgery (re-do surgery) and is frequently asked to treat patients that have regained weight or have heartburn symptoms after having gastric sleeve surgery. In fact, many of the popular cheaper centers are a constant flow of patients that have what we call “sloppy sleeves” (poorly performed surgery) that fail over time.
How much can your stomach hold after gastric plication?
Patients will notice once they are past the liquid phase and eating full solids that the restriction level will result in around a third of the original meal volume. Eating a third of your typical meal will definitely induce weight loss and better overall health.
Schedule Your Gastric Plication Procedure Today At Our Weight Loss Surgery Clinic
Call or email us here to start your weight loss journey. Call one of our US-based coordinators and learn how you can get the life you’ve always wanted with the help of the Obesity Control Center in Tijuana, MX.
References
Click here to see how OCC compares to other facilities in terms of surgical rates, infection rates, mortality rates, and more.
