Surgery is the most satisfying method among obesity treatments. The surgical procedures have a higher chance of success. Obesity surgery, as in other surgeries, tends to be less damaging for the patient. However, there are new treatment methods under investigation for obesity. Some of them may be alternatives to surgery in the future.

• Endoscopic Methods

These are obesity treatment methods where patients are made sleep or sedated and treated with the help of an endoscope without any need for an incision. These methods can be categorized into several groups.

Endosleeve Method: It is a method where a thin plastic impermeable hose is placed inside the stomach, the duodenum, and the small intestine. It is experimental since there is no reliable clinical study yet.

Endoscopic Stapling Methods: These are methods where the stomach is reduced by incision without any drilling by stapler-like devices used in laparoscopic operations. Available methods become popular in addition to Stomaphyx and TOGA. 

Endoscopic Sewing Techniques: Many companies make research on these techniques. The stomach space is reduced endoscopically without any for operation. New products by Bard Endocinch, Olympus Eagle claw, Ethicon are very promising.

• Laparoscopic Methods

Single-hole obesity surgeries are becoming popular. At present, sleeve gastrectomy operations are carried out through a single hole. Another type of surgery, which is at the experimental stage, gastric sleeve plication (sleeve operation without gastric resection by suturing folds).

• Electrical Methods

Methods such as electrical stimulation of stomach (pace maker), vagal nerve stimulation etc. demonstrated a feeling of satiety.

• Drugs

The idea of using next-generation medicines becomes more popular as mechanisms of appetite are elucidated. Next-generation drugs target hormones involved in the mechanism of fullness and the central nervous system.