CARY, N.C.–()–Gastroenterologist Dr. Christopher McGowan, M.D., today announced the opening of a new endobariatric weight loss center, , PLLC, which is the nation’s first and only physician-founded medical practice exclusively focused on providing non-surgical, state-of-the-art weight loss procedures and support. True You Weight Loss offers a comprehensive range of endobariatric procedures and support services to help patients lose weight, including endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), bariatric revisional procedures, intragastric balloon placement, aspiration therapy, and medical nutrition therapy.
is one of the few physicians in the nation who is triple-board-certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, and obesity medicine. He is a world-renowned leader in endobariatrics, a new field of gastroenterology that aims to address the obesity epidemic.
Until recently, people motivated to lose weight had limited options: diet and exercise, or bariatric surgery. The first option doesn’t move the scale much – according to research, the average weight loss achieved by making lifestyle modifications is between one and four percent of total body weight. Bariatric surgery, while effective in treating obesity, isn’t for everyone. In fact, only one percent of patients eligible for bariatric surgery ultimately choose the surgical path. Non-surgical, endobariatric procedures offer a new option for patients who want to get their weight under control but aren’t interested in or eligible for surgery.
“The number one comment I hear from patients is ‘I don’t want surgery,’” said Dr. McGowan. “For decades, the medical field has been completely underserving the obese population because most people aren’t interested in undergoing a risky surgery, and until recently, there haven’t been many other effective options. Thanks to advances in medicine, we can now offer safe, effective procedures that deliver surgical outcomes without making a single incision. We are, quite literally, transforming lives in less than an hour.”
, commonly referred to as ESG, is a rapidly-emerging, non-surgical weight loss procedure that delivers comparable results to bariatric surgery – but it’s all done endoscopically, which means zero cutting. The procedure lasts about 40 minutes, and patients can lose up to 100 pounds or more, or approximately 23 percent of their total body weight. These procedures are performed by a board-certified gastroenterologist on an outpatient basis. ESG is currently offered by True You Weight Loss as well as a small number of other large academic medical centers across the country.
For those who have less weight to lose, Dr. McGowan offers a wide range of other options, including the procedure, which works well for moderately overweight individuals who haven’t succeeded with diet and exercise and want to break through weight loss barriers without surgery. Patients lose an average of 21 pounds with this option, but many lose up to 40 or 50 pounds – all in exactly six months, which is the duration the balloon remains in place. Other services offered by Dr. McGowan include endoscopic bariatric revision procedures, which are designed to help the thousands of patients who have undergone bariatric surgery but have gained much of their weight back over the years. Finally, Dr. McGowan and his team offer medical nutrition therapy, which is the combination of medication therapy and support services such as working with a registered dietitian.
Dr. McGowan was the first physician in the Carolinas to perform ESG, endoscopic bariatric revision, AspireAssist, and Obalon endobariatric weight loss procedures, and is the only physician in the Triangle offering the ORBERA® intragastric balloon. He is one of the first physicians in the country to perform the Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG), which he has performed 400 times – making him one of the most experienced doctors in the world for this procedure. Patients have traveled to Dr. McGowan from more than 40 states and 8 countries.
Dr. McGowan frequently educates and trains physicians from around the country, and internationally, in endoscopic suturing and the ESG procedure. His research has been featured in the leading medical journals, including Obesity Surgery, Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endoscopy, and Video GIE.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, visit .
About True You Weight Loss, PLLC
Founded by Dr. Christopher McGowan, True You Weight Loss, PLLC is the nation’s first and only dedicated endobariatric weight loss center. True You Weight Loss offers a comprehensive range of endobariatric procedures and support services to help patients lose weight, including endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), bariatric revisional procedures, intragastric balloon placement, aspiration therapy, and medical nutrition therapy. To learn more, visit .
About Christopher McGowan, MD
Christopher McGowan, MD is one of the few physicians in the nation who is triple-board-certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, and obesity medicine, and is a world-renowned leader in endobariatrics, a new field of gastroenterology that aims to address the obesity epidemic without surgical intervention. Dr. McGowan earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA and completed his internship, residency, and Chief Residency at Brown University in Providence, RI. He did his fellowship training in gastroenterology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a Master of Science in Clinical Research from the UNC Gillings School of Public Health. He received his certification from the American Board of Obesity Medicine in 2019, after completing additional education in obesity medicine.
