Abstract

Obese patients have been increasing with the development of a social economy. Obesity is a disease with high mortality rates due to associated cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Diet or exercise therapy, medications, bariatric surgery are used for treating obesity. However, although bariatric surgery is safe and effective, it is expensive, and reoperation is a burden if patients fail to lose weight. Operative complications are also a problem. The recent development of endoluminal techniques may permit obesity treatment and many endoscopic procedures have been attempted. The role of endoscopy for treating obesity is treating the postoperative complications of bariatric surgery, for example, a stricture or widening of the anastomosis, fistula, or leaks. Second, endoscopic applications could be used for weight reduction to temporarily bridge surgery for high-risk patients with obesity, and for reducing weight in patients unable to undergo surgery. This article provides a brief overview of bariatric surgery and its complications and introduces several endoscopic applications to treat obesity. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2011;42:275-282)

• Keywords: Obesity, Bariatric surgery, Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal