We have been looking into a new, somewhat experimental form of weight loss surgery known as the Toga procedure. We first heard about it just a few days ago, through an article that appeared on NBC News affiliate websites across the country.

According to that article, doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California are performing the so-called Toga procedure as a form of non-invasive weight loss surgery. The goal of this procedure is similar to other bariatric — to staple off part of the stomach, thus creating a small “pouch.” This reduces the patients appetite and stomach capacity, which in turn leads to weight loss.

But the big difference with the Toga procedure is the entry point. Instead of making an incision in the abdomen, the surgeon goes in through the mouth. No incisions necessary. A flexible surgical tool is passed through the mouth and down into the stomach. Doctors use the tool to staple part of the stomach, creating the small pouch.

I would like to stress that the Toga procedure still appears to be in the experimental stage (at the time of this update), so there’s not a lot of information out there about it. After reading the news story, our research led us to the Cedars-Sinai website. There, we found some information about this clinical study. We wrote up a summary of our own, based on publicly available information, and have added it to the articles section of the website.

Learn more here: TOGA Procedure Weight Loss Surgery