The Bariatric Surgery & Weight Loss Landscape In 2024 & 2025

The past couple of years have been exciting, with a renewed focus on weight loss and addressing the ever-present obesity epidemic. From new procedures to weight loss medication and tools, there has been no shortage of choices for patients looking to lose weight. In this article, we analyze a few of the most important newly approved procedures and medicines in 2024, understand a little more about them, and consider what they mean for patients looking for more sustainable weight loss.

Weight Loss

No recent weight loss breakthroughs can be discussed without mentioning the Ozempic/Wegovy and Mounjaro/Zepbound craze of 2023. Now that the initial shortage has improved somewhat, it seems that virtually everyone has been taking the drug on-label or off. These injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown excellent weight loss results and may be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, as would be expected.

In 2024 and 2025, we expect to hear more about GLP-1-like pills and more effective injectables that may continue to be an option for patients on the lower end of obesity on the BMI scale (30-40). Those who may be preparing for bariatric surgery and need to lose weight to reduce surgical risk and weight loss surgery patients who wish to boost stalled weight loss post-operatively may also benefit. These medications may not be suitable for patients in the 40+ BMI range as there may be too much weight to lose.

We also expect to see many who have not succeeded with GLP-1s and may consider bariatric surgery after all.

Endoscopic Weight Loss Procedures

2023 also ushered in FDA approval for an endoscopic bariatric procedure known as E.S.G. or endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. This procedure requires no external incisions to access the stomach, as in gastric sleeve surgery, and is performed entirely through the mouth and esophagus. Special endoscopic tools, including a high-definition camera, allow the surgeon access to and visualization of the stomach. This novel approach may hold a great deal of promise in the future, especially for patients who are not candidates for weight loss surgery. Today, however, the weight loss results aren’t comparable to the surgical method.

Mini-Gastric Bypass

If there weren’t enough surgical options on the market, 2023 also brought a resurgence of the mini gastric bypass. This procedure has been performed in Europe for decades with great success but has never been a contender in the US. The most likely reason for this is that we already have many procedures that may be more suitable to our populations, for example, traditional gastric bypass. Mini gastric bypass appears to have a high rate of revision…meaning that a substantial number of these patients may need revision/conversion to another surgery.

Of course, with all this talk about new procedures, we must remember that the most popular bariatric procedures currently performed, like the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or duodenal switch, are genuinely exceptional options with a long track record of results behind them.

What’s next

Regardless of the next generation of surgical procedures, which may or may not be a while out, it’s important that we reflect on the advances in the past few years and what they have taught us. The bottom line is that we have more weight loss options than ever before, both surgical and non-surgical. Speaking to a qualified bariatric and weight loss specialist like Dr. Chang is the best way to understand more about this sometimes confusing landscape of possibilities.

We look forward to speaking with you more about this transformative life change after you watch our online seminar; we then look forward to scheduling you for an appointment with Dr. Chang.