Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty in Mexico, in Tijuana or another city, can be a reasonable choice when four things are settled before you travel: your weight and health fit the criteria, and you know why it suits you better than a balloon, medicines or a surgical sleeve; a doctor trained on the suturing device performs it, in a facility equipped for a complication; your quote covers the follow-up as well as the procedure; and a diet program and a doctor near home are ready for the months afterward. You can check each of these before you pay a deposit.
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) narrows the stomach with stitches placed from the inside through an endoscope, a flexible tube with a camera that goes in through your mouth. There are no incisions, and no part of the stomach is removed. It’s paired with a long-term diet and activity program, and whether it suits you is your doctor’s decision.
At a glance
- What it is
- Stitches placed through an endoscope fold the stomach into a narrower sleeve; there are no incisions and nothing is removed
- Who it’s for
- In the U.S. authorization, adults with a body mass index of 30 to 50 who haven’t lost weight or kept it off with more conservative measures
- Average weight loss
- 13.6% of body weight at 1 year in the main U.S. trial, against 0.8% with lifestyle changes alone
- Hospital stay
- An optional 23-hour observation stay in the U.S. trial; at one British hospital trust, most people go home the next day
- Eating afterward
- A 6-week transitional diet in the U.S. trial, within a diet and activity program that ran into the second year
- Check first
- The doctor’s licenses and certificate, their training on the suturing device, and which device they use
Key takeaways
- Ask the doctor why this procedure suits you better than a balloon, weight-loss medicines or a surgical sleeve, given your weight, health and goals.
- Tell the doctor about any earlier stomach surgery or balloon, heartburn, blood thinners, mood or eating disorders and pregnancy plans, since each can change the plan.
- Before you pay a deposit, look up the doctor’s licenses and certificate, and ask about their training on the suturing device and how many of these procedures they do.
- Line up a dietitian and a doctor near home before you travel, because the diet and follow-up program carries on for months after the trip.
- Get a written quote that lists the device, anesthesia, medicines, follow-up visits, retightening and the plan if a complication needs treatment.
In this guide
- What endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is, and what it isn’t
- Who ESG may suit, and who it doesn’t
- ESG, a balloon or a surgical sleeve: how they compare
- Who performs ESG, and how to check the doctor and the device
- The procedure, the anesthesia and the first weeks
- The program around ESG: diet, follow-up and care near home
- Risks of ESG, and what you can do about each
- How long to stay, flying home and your medicines
- What should an ESG quote include?
- Questions to ask before you book endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
- Before you go: checklist
- Warning signs after endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
What endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is, and what it isn’t
A suturing device is advanced down the throat to the stomach to place permanent stitches that reduce its volume (FDA). Working from the lower stomach up toward the top, the doctor stitches the front wall against the back, folding the stomach into a narrower tube (IFSO). The stitches pass through the full thickness of the stomach wall, and each suture is held at its ends by a small metal anchor and a plastic cinch, which stay in place (FDA summary). The folds reduce how much the stomach holds and slow its emptying (FDA summary), so you should feel full sooner (NHS).
A surgical sleeve, by contrast, removes about 80% of the stomach through small cuts in the belly; see what a gastric sleeve is. ESG is stomach-sparing, so nothing is removed (ASMBS review), and it preserves the fundus, the top part of the stomach, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the U.S. society of weight-loss surgeons (ASMBS). A gastric balloon is temporary: it comes out or passes.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rated the implanted sutures MRI conditional, meaning magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is possible under the conditions in the labeling (FDA summary), so tell anyone who scans you that you’ve had ESG.
Who ESG may suit, and who it doesn’t
Why it matters: the U.S. authorization, professional societies and Mexico’s obesity standard each describe the candidates a little differently, so it helps to know which one your doctor follows.
| Who sets it | Who ESG is for |
|---|---|
| The FDA’s 2022 authorization of Apollo Endosurgery’s ESG systems | Adults with obesity and a body mass index (BMI) of 30 to 50 who haven’t been able to lose weight, or keep it off, through more conservative measures; in the trial behind it, which enrolled a BMI of 30 to 40, patients also followed a low-calorie lifestyle program (FDA summary) |
| ASMBS, which endorses ESG | Mainly a BMI of 30 to 40, for adults whom lifestyle therapy and obesity medicines alone haven’t helped enough and who want a procedure rather than an operation; also some patients outside that range, and people unwilling, not ready or at higher risk for surgery (ASMBS) |
| A 2024 guideline of the American and European societies of gastrointestinal endoscopy (ASGE and ESGE) | Suggests endoscopic treatments, including devices that remodel the stomach from inside, with lifestyle changes, at a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to 29.9 with at least one obesity-related condition (ASGE-ESGE guideline) |
| Mexico’s obesity standard, NOM-008-SSA3-2017 (a Norma Oficial Mexicana) | Endoscopic procedures at a BMI of 30 to 34.9 with related conditions, or of 35 or more in high-risk patients who need to lose weight before surgery, who are in a multidisciplinary program, or in patients who don’t accept surgery (NOM-008, in Spanish) |
Most published ESG results come from people with a BMI of 30 to 40; data above 40 or below 30 are sparse. Since the surgical criteria were lowered in 2022, many people who once sought ESG because they didn’t qualify for surgery now do (ASMBS review); see who qualifies for a gastric sleeve and, for balloons, who a gastric balloon suits.
When ESG isn’t used. The FDA authorization rules it out where endoscopy itself isn’t advisable; with a large hiatal hernia; with possible bleeding sources in the stomach, such as ulcers, erosive gastritis or enlarged veins (varices); with any eating disorder, or a mood disorder that isn’t under medical care or hasn’t responded to treatment; in pregnancy; and with bleeding problems or blood thinners that can’t be corrected (FDA summary). The main U.S. trial also left out people who’d had surgery on the stomach or intestines, had severe or hard-to-treat reflux symptoms, couldn’t take an acid-reducing medicine or had had a balloon, which thickens the stomach wall and gets in the way of suturing (ClinicalTrials.gov).
How to check: list every operation, any earlier balloon, your medicines and any eating or mood disorder, and ask which criteria the doctor follows and why ESG suits you. If you could become pregnant, ask about birth control, which the trial required of participants who could (ClinicalTrials.gov).
ESG, a balloon or a surgical sleeve: how they compare
Why it matters: the three differ in average weight loss, how long it lasts and whether they can be undone, which shapes the questions to ask.
| ESG | Gastric balloon | Gastric sleeve | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What’s done | Stitches fold the stomach; nothing is removed | A temporary balloon takes up space; see which balloons the FDA has approved | About 80% of the stomach is removed |
| Weight loss at 1 year | 13.6% in the U.S. trial, against 0.8% with lifestyle changes alone (MERIT); 17.6% pooled across 27 studies (IFSO) | Depends on the device; see how much weight people lose | 30.5% pooled across 7 studies, against 17.1% for ESG in the same review (ASMBS review) |
| Later | 15.2% at 2 years across 6 studies; 15.9% at 5 years from a single study’s 56 patients followed that long (IFSO) | Weight can return after removal | Generally greater and more durable weight loss, with robust long-term data (ASMBS) |
| Can it be undone? | The stitches are permanent, but ESG can be reversed if you can’t tolerate it, retightened, or converted to a sleeve (FDA summary) | It comes out by a set date or passes on its own | No; see what a gastric sleeve is |
| New reflux (heartburn) | 1.3% after ESG, against 17.9% after a sleeve, in a 2022 analysis (ASMBS review) | No figure in our sources | A sleeve may cause or worsen reflux; see gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass |
Weight loss is the average percent of total body weight. Each figure comes from its own studies and patients, not a head-to-head trial, and none predicts your own result.
The evidence behind ESG. In MERIT, the U.S. randomized trial, 41 of the 60 patients still followed at 2 years (68%) kept off at least a quarter of their excess weight, meaning weight above a BMI of 25 (MERIT). Most other ESG studies are observational, which the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) rated very low-quality evidence, and follow-up rarely passes 5 years (IFSO). Data on long-term results, beyond a year, were not provided for the FDA’s 2022 review (FDA summary).
Against a sleeve. In one large comparison of more than 3,000 matched pairs with an average BMI of 33, patients lost more excess weight after a sleeve at 1, 2 and 3 years, and 2.7% of the ESG patients later had a sleeve because they lost too little or regained (ASMBS review). ASMBS doesn’t consider ESG equivalent to a sleeve or bypass for weight loss or metabolic effect; it places ESG on a continuum with lifestyle therapy, obesity medicines and surgery (ASMBS).
How to check:
- Ask the doctor to compare ESG, a balloon, medicines and surgery for you, and why they recommend one.
- Ask for their own patients’ average weight loss at 1 and 2 years.
- If you also qualify for surgery, hear a bariatric surgeon’s view; gastric bypass in Mexico covers the other main operation.
Who performs ESG, and how to check the doctor and the device
Why it matters: ESG calls for specific training on the suturing device, so the doctor’s specialty, certificate and experience with this procedure are worth checking before you pay anything.
The doctor. The device is meant for trained gastroenterologists or surgeons who perform bariatric procedures and have had the manufacturer’s training on it (FDA summary). ASMBS expects formal training in bariatric endoscopy and ESG techniques, credentialing based on competence and case volume, tracked outcomes, and a multidisciplinary program rather than a one-off procedure (ASMBS).
In Mexico, NOM-008 requires a specialist’s license “en: cirugía, cirugía pediátrica o endoscópica” (in surgery, pediatric surgery or endoscopic, as applicable), a current council certificate, certification in bariatric or endoscopic surgery, and a facility with everything needed for major surgery in high-risk patients (NOM-008, in Spanish). Checking the doctor who places a balloon sets out the rest. Not every clinic offering ESG may follow the standard, so check for yourself.
The device. On July 12, 2022, the FDA granted marketing authorization to Apollo Endosurgery’s ESG systems (FDA database), which are identical in design to its OverStitch suturing systems, cleared earlier for other uses (FDA summary); the OverStitch platform now appears under Boston Scientific’s name (IFSO). They’re the only endoscopic suturing systems on the FDA’s list of weight-loss devices (FDA). Other techniques that reshape the stomach from inside, such as POSE 2.0 (primary obesity surgery endoluminal) and Endomina, were at various stages of clinical trials in 2024 (IFSO), so a procedure under a similar name may use a different device.
Checked licenses and a current certificate give you a firm starting point. They’re one part of a sound plan, alongside training on the device, a team that follows you afterward and a facility ready for a complication.
How to check:
- Ask which specialty the doctor’s specialist license is in and which council certified them, then look up both license numbers (cédulas) and the specialist directory, as in checking a doctor’s license in Mexico; for a surgeon, add the council directory in how to check a bariatric surgeon.
- Ask where they trained on the device, how many ESGs they’ve done and how often they retighten or convert one.
- Get the device’s brand and model in writing, and look up its Mexican registration as in checking a device’s registration.
- Ask who gives the anesthesia, and see the facility’s license, as in checking a clinic’s health license.
The procedure, the anesthesia and the first weeks
Why it matters: what happens on the day and in the weeks after decides how long you stay near the clinic, who travels with you and what you eat once home.
Under NOM-008, an evaluation comes first: your history, lab tests and imaging, with heart, anesthesia, nutrition and psychological assessments (NOM-008, in Spanish). For an upper endoscopy, an empty stomach allows the best examination, which usually means nothing to eat or drink, water included, for about 8 hours; tell the doctor about every medicine, particularly aspirin, blood thinners, insulin and iron (ASGE).
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| The procedure | The endoscope and suturing device go in through your mouth; at one British hospital trust, while you’re asleep under a general anesthetic (NHS) |
| The first night | In the U.S. trial, an optional 23-hour observation stay (FDA summary); at that trust, home once you can drink without problems, usually 1 to 3 days later and most often the next day (NHS) |
| The first days | In the trial, most nausea, belly pain and vomiting began within 3 days (FDA summary) |
| The first 6 weeks | A 6-week transitional diet in the trial (ClinicalTrials.gov); at that trust, liquids for 4 to 6 weeks from a diet sheet, plenty of fluids, and work again after about 2 weeks (NHS) |
| The first 2 months | Nausea, belly pain, constipation, belching, heartburn and diarrhea tended to start in the first week and settle within 30 to 60 days (FDA summary) |
The British details come from the patient leaflet of one hospital trust in England’s National Health Service (NHS) and describe UK practice; your own doctor’s written plan comes first.
After sedation, someone must drive you and stay with you, and you can’t drive or make legal decisions for the rest of the day (ASGE). If you use a breathing machine for sleep apnea, bring it, as the same trust asks (NHS).
How to check: ask whether you’ll have general anesthesia or sedation and how long you’ll be observed, and get the diet stages in writing, week by week.
The program around ESG: diet, follow-up and care near home
Why it matters: the weight loss in studies came with a diet and activity program that ran for months, mostly after the trip, so who provides it is part of the plan.
In the trial, ESG came with a low-calorie diet and 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week for the first year, then 6 visits in the second (ClinicalTrials.gov), and participants agreed to lifelong dietary restrictions (MERIT). That program was low in intensity by the FDA’s assessment, and how ESG compares with a more robust one is unknown (FDA summary).
- Follow-up. Nutritional, behavioral and medical follow-up, like that after other weight-loss procedures, is what ASMBS expects (ASMBS). Keeping follow-up appointments is among the factors linked to weight loss after ESG (ASMBS review).
- Medicines. ESG may be used with or without obesity medicines (ASMBS); observational studies have found benefits in combining or sequencing the two, particularly for how long results last (IFSO).
- A UK example. One NHS trust phones patients the week after discharge, sees them at 6 to 8 weeks and keeps them under its bariatric team for 2 years (NHS).
How to check:
- Ask who runs your program, for how many months, and how visits work from home.
- Find a dietitian and a doctor near home who will see you, using line up your care team at home and lining up a doctor at home.
- Ask which vitamins and blood tests your program wants; ESG removes no stomach, so they may differ from life after a gastric sleeve.
Risks of ESG, and what you can do about each
Why it matters: most side effects come early and settle within weeks, while less common problems need prompt care, and each one has a step that lowers or catches it.
In the trial, 92% of the 150 patients who had ESG had at least one side effect from it, including nausea in 70% and belly pain in 68%, mostly rated mild, and 11 (7.3%) had a serious adverse event, most often nausea, belly pain or vomiting. Three of the 131 patients followed for a year had a complication graded as needing a procedure to treat, or worse, and all 3 resolved with medical care (FDA summary), with no deaths and no need for intensive care or surgery (MERIT). Pooled across studies, severe adverse events came to 2.2% (Hedjoudje et al.) and serious ones to 1.25% (IFSO). Some ASMBS members think complication rates in everyday practice are higher than published ones (ASMBS), and reports to the FDA about the suturing device, which can’t show how often problems occur, included perforations, bleeding and one death (FDA summary). These figures describe groups, not you; they’re why a written complication plan matters.
| Risk | What it is | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea, pain and vomiting early on | Seven trial patients stayed in hospital for early symptoms, treated with fluids by drip and medicines, and all recovered before going home (FDA summary) | Ask for anti-nausea and pain medicine to take with you, and stay near the clinic for the first days |
| Dehydration | One trial patient was admitted at 11 weeks with weakness, dehydration and a change in mental state, with suspected malnutrition (FDA summary) | Drink plenty, since fluid prevents dehydration (NHS); ask for a daily target and whom to call if you can’t keep fluids down |
| Bleeding | Bleeding from the upper digestive tract in 0.56% of patients across 8 studies (Hedjoudje et al.); stitches through the full stomach wall can injure vessels or organs next to it (ASMBS review) | List every medicine you take, particularly aspirin, arthritis medicines and blood thinners (ASGE), and know the warning signs |
| A leak or fluid collection | A leak or a collection of fluid next to the stomach in 0.48% of the same patients (Hedjoudje et al.); one trial patient had an abscess in the abdomen 2 weeks after ESG, resolved with treatment (FDA summary) | Ask how and where one would be treated, and put it in the quote |
| Perforation and anesthesia problems | Perforation, injury to nearby organs and anesthetic complications can follow ESG (ASMBS review); some patients react to the sedatives or have complications from heart or lung disease (ASGE) | Tell the team about heart or lung disease and allergies, and confirm the facility can manage a complication |
| Too little weight loss, or regain | Some studies show regain in the medium term (ASMBS review); stitches can break or the sleeve stretch, and it can then be retightened (NHS); 14 of the 68 trial patients still followed at a year had a retightening then (FDA summary) | Keep the follow-up visits, ask what retightening involves and costs, and ask whether medicines could help |
| Blood clots | A clot in the lungs is among the risks the FDA lists for this device (FDA summary) | Tell the doctor your clot risk factors, and move your legs often on long trips (CDC) |
Later surgery. ESG may make a later sleeve or bypass more complex, depending on the stitch pattern, the number of folds and where the anchors sit (ASMBS); experts recommend a swallow study first, then an endoscopy to remove the anchors (ASMBS review). Ask for a procedure report that records the stitch pattern.
How to check: ask which of these the doctor sees most, and how, where and by whom each would be treated, including once you’re home.
How long to stay, flying home and your medicines
Why it matters: nausea and vomiting usually start in the first days, so plan to stay near the clinic until you can drink normally and your doctor agrees you can travel.
We found no official guidance on how many days to stay near the clinic after ESG, so your doctor sets it, starting from the first night’s observation; staying after a balloon placed by endoscopy covers similar questions.
- Flying. We found no published flying wait for ESG; the figures in notes for weight-loss surgery are for operations, so ask your doctor. Trips over 4 hours by air, car, bus or train can carry a clot risk, and obesity is a risk factor (CDC).
- The border. After sedation, someone else drives; see crossing back after a procedure.
- Medicines. Ask which medicines you’ll take home. At one British trust, patients take an acid reducer such as lansoprazole for 2 years before a review, and avoid anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen, even for joint pain (NHS). To carry medicines home, see medicine prescribed after a procedure in Mexico.
- Records. Leave with the procedure report, device, diet plan and medicine list, in English.
How to check: before you book, ask how many days to stay, when you can fly or ride home and how to reach the doctor, then book travel you can change.
What should an ESG quote include?
Why it matters: ESG quotes can differ in what they cover after the procedure day, so compare them line by line before you compare totals.
In the U.S., ESG gained a Category I CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) billing code from January 1, 2026, and insurance coverage is still emerging (ASMBS), so ask your insurer in writing whether it would pay before you compare. What a medical tourism quote should include covers the rest of the trip.
How to check: ask each clinic for a written, itemized quote with these lines.
| Line | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Evaluations | Which tests and assessments are included, and whether recent results from home count |
| Doctor and device | Who performs the ESG, and which device, by brand and model |
| Anesthesia and observation | Who gives the anesthesia, whether that fee and a night of observation are included, and what an extra night costs |
| Medicines | How many weeks of acid reducer and anti-nausea medicine come with it |
| The program | How many months of diet and activity follow-up, by whom, and how it works from home |
| Retightening | Whether a retightening or conversion is included, and its price if not |
| Complications | What happens if you need treatment for bleeding, a leak or dehydration: where, who pays, and whether you must return to Mexico |
| Extras | Nights near the clinic, local rides and a companion’s costs |
Questions to ask before you book endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
- Why ESG for me, rather than a balloon, medicines or a surgical sleeve?
- What is your specialty, where did you train on the device, and how many ESGs have you done?
- Which device will you use, and what is its Mexican registration?
- Will I have general anesthesia or sedation, and who gives it?
- How many days should I stay nearby, and when can I travel?
- What are the diet stages, and who runs my program once I’m home?
- Which complications do you see most, and how and where would you treat them?
- How often do your patients need retightening, and what does it cost?
Before you go: checklist
- Plan talked through with your doctor at home, and your history shared with the doctor in Mexico
- Earlier operations, any balloon, medicines and mood or eating disorders disclosed
- Doctor’s licenses, certificate and device training checked, and the facility’s license seen
- Device brand and model in writing
- Itemized quote with anesthesia, medicines, follow-up, retightening and the complication plan
- Your insurer’s answer on coverage at home, in writing
- Diet stages in writing, and a dietitian and doctor near home lined up
- Changeable travel, with a companion who can drive after sedation
- Records in English to collect, and the warning signs below read
Warning signs after endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
In an emergency, call 911, which works in the U.S. and Mexico, then tell your doctor. Go over these signs with your doctor before you leave Mexico.
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Difficulty breathing; a faster than normal or irregular heartbeat; chest pain or discomfort that usually worsens with a deep breath or coughing; a cough or coughing up blood; or very low blood pressure, lightheadedness or fainting | These are signs of a possible blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism): seek medical help immediately (CDC) by calling 911 |
| Swelling of a leg or arm, pain or tenderness you can’t explain, skin that’s warm to the touch, or redness or discoloration | These may be signs of a blood clot in a deep vein: contact your doctor as soon as possible (CDC) |
| A fever, trouble swallowing, pain in the throat, chest or belly, or bleeding, including black stools | Contact your doctor immediately; after an upper endoscopy, bleeding can occur several days later (ASGE) |
The first two rows come from the blood clot pages of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the third is ASGE’s advice after any upper endoscopy. Ask your doctor which other signs apply after ESG.
Tell any doctor who treats you that you’ve had ESG, when and where, and show your procedure report; if something goes wrong after you’re home explains the rest.
Frequently asked questions
How much does endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty cost in Mexico?
It depends on what each quote covers, so ask every clinic for a written, itemized quote. Besides the procedure, a plan can include evaluations beforehand, anesthesia, a night of observation, medicines, months of diet and follow-up visits, and retightening; ask too what a complication would cost and where it would be treated. At home, the procedure gained a U.S. billing code on January 1, 2026, and insurance coverage is still emerging (ASMBS), so ask your insurer whether it would pay. What an ESG quote should include lists the lines to compare.
Is endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty FDA approved?
The FDA granted marketing authorization to devices for it, Apollo Endosurgery’s ESG systems, on July 12, 2022 (FDA). They’re authorized for adults with a body mass index of 30 to 50 who haven’t lost weight or kept it off with more conservative measures, in the hands of trained gastroenterologists or surgeons who perform bariatric procedures (FDA summary). A clinic in Mexico may use a different device, so ask for its name and check it; see who performs ESG.
Who is a good candidate for endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty?
Usually an adult with a body mass index of 30 to 40 for whom diet, activity and obesity medicines haven’t brought enough weight loss, and who wants a procedure rather than an operation (ASMBS); the U.S. device authorization runs from 30 to 50 (FDA summary). A large hiatal hernia, ulcers or other possible bleeding sources in the stomach, an eating disorder, pregnancy, and bleeding problems or blood thinners that can’t be corrected rule it out (FDA summary). Your doctor decides; see who ESG may suit.
How much weight do you lose with endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty?
In the main U.S. randomized trial, patients lost an average of 13.6% of their body weight at 1 year, against 0.8% with lifestyle changes alone (MERIT). Pooled across 27 studies, the average at 1 year was 17.6% (IFSO). These are averages that came with a diet and activity program, not a prediction for you; how ESG compares sets them against a balloon and a sleeve.
Is ESG better than a gastric sleeve?
Neither suits everyone. A surgical sleeve brings greater and more durable weight loss on average, with more long-term data, and ASMBS doesn’t consider ESG equivalent (ASMBS). ESG removes no stomach and needs no incisions, and in one analysis new reflux was much less common after it than after a sleeve (ASMBS review). Ask your doctor which fits your weight and health; see how they compare and the sleeve and bypass comparison.
Can endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty be reversed?
It can, in cases where a patient can’t tolerate the sleeve, and it can also be retightened or converted to a surgical sleeve (FDA summary). The stitches are permanent (FDA), and ESG may make a later operation more complex, depending on the stitch pattern and where the anchors sit (ASMBS). Ask for a procedure report you can show any future surgeon.
How long do you need to stay in Mexico after ESG?
We found no official guidance on the number of days, so it’s your doctor’s call. The U.S. trial offered an optional 23-hour observation stay (FDA summary), and at one British hospital trust most go home the next day, once they can drink without problems (NHS). Nausea and vomiting usually begin in the first days, so plan to stay close until your doctor clears you; see how long to stay.
Is endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty in Mexico safe?
Much of the answer rests on checks you can make before paying: whether you fit the criteria, the doctor’s training on the device, the facility, and a written plan for follow-up and complications. Like any procedure, ESG carries risks, from early nausea and dehydration to less common bleeding, leaks and perforation; risks and what you can do pairs each with a step. Is it safe to get surgery in Mexico? covers the travel advisory and what to do if a problem starts at home.
Sources
- De Novo Classification Request for APOLLO ESG, APOLLO ESG SX, APOLLO REVISE, APOLLO REVISE SX Systems (DEN210045), decision summary U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- De Novo database entry DEN210045: endoscopic suturing device for altering gastric anatomy for weight loss (decision date July 12, 2022) U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Weight-Loss and Weight-Management Devices (content current as of March 12, 2026) U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) FAQ & CPT Code Information American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
- Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and its role in the treatment of obesity: a systematic review (ASMBS Clinical Issues Committee, 2023) American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases)
- Understanding Upper Endoscopy American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)
- American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy-European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guideline on primary endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapies for adults with obesity (2024; abstract on PubMed) ASGE and ESGE, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
- Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty for treatment of class 1 and 2 obesity (MERIT): a prospective, multicentre, randomised trial (Abu Dayyeh et al., 2022; abstract on PubMed) The Lancet
- Multicenter Endoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (ESG) Trial (MERIT Trial), NCT03406975 ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- IFSO Bariatric Endoscopy Committee Evidence-Based Review and Position Statement on Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty for Obesity Management (2024) International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (Obesity Surgery), full text in PubMed Central
- Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (Hedjoudje et al., 2020; abstract on PubMed) Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG), patient information leaflet (reviewed March 30, 2026) North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
- NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-008-SSA3-2017, Para el tratamiento integral del sobrepeso y la obesidad (Diario Oficial de la Federación, May 18, 2018; in Spanish) Secretaría de Salud, Mexico (copy on the Secretaría de Economía standards platform)
- About Venous Thromboembolism (Blood Clots) U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Understanding Your Risk for Blood Clots with Travel U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
About this guide
The Uriym editorial team researched this guide from the 15 sources above, drafted it with AI assistance, and checked it claim by claim against those sources before publishing, last on . Our editorial standards explain how we choose sources, handle prices and make corrections.
Uriym is a healthcare navigation platform, not a medical provider. Its founder, Adriana Mendez, grew up in a family that traveled to Mexico for care and has done it herself for the past ten years. How Uriym works
This is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice: your treating provider decides what care is right for you. Rules, prices and advisories change, so check the official page before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Email support@uriym.com.
