Johannesburg - With a medical procedure that takes just 90 minutes tops, Vivari Aesthetics, the newest health facility at the centre of cosmetic surgery at the Vivari Hotel, continues to pioneer new ways to service its patients.
Dr Anushka Reddy, the founder of Medi-Sculpt and president of the SA Association of Cosmetic Doctors (SAACD), swears by the latest endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), which is a newer type of weight loss treatment programme.
Dr Reddy says ESG reduces the size of one’s stomach without the need for surgery, as it is performed using a camera inserted through the mouth to the stomach (endoscopy).
She said ESG was a newer type of minimally invasive weight-loss procedure in which a suturing device was inserted into a patient’s throat and down to the stomach.
According to Dr Reddy, the endoscopist then places sutures in the patient’s stomach to make it smaller, which is good for significantly overweight patients whose body mass index is 30 or more.
"This procedure may be an option if you are very overweight. Suitable candidates will usually have a body mass index of 30 or more. If diet and exercise haven’t worked for you, this could be the next step," she said.
She said her facility had a specialised team that had been hard at work ensuring that patients’ cosmetic medical needs were well taken care of.
"Our specialist weight loss team takes the time to understand your concerns. Our patients will have their own personalised weight loss management plan for the best long-term results.
"Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. Our nurses, clinicians, and support teams are dedicated to the care of this very patient," she said.
She said the procedure worked by reducing the size of the patient’s stomach, adding that patients should be able to manage the weight loss by taking food in small portions.
She said the treatment, which took just over 90 minutes, was usually performed while patients were asleep and usually under general anaesthesia, using an endoscope.
"This is a flexible tube with a camera and a specialist stitching device. It is inserted gently down your throat and into the stomach. The tiny camera allows your consultant to see inside your stomach without incisions. They will make a row of approximately 12 stitches. The stitches will change the structure of your stomach so that it is shaped like a tube. This restricts the number of calories your body absorbs. It essentially mimics a traditional gastric sleeve," she said.
The Star