Transoral surgery for morbid obesity.

Obesity is a serious health problem in the United States. Although laparoscopic surgical procedures are effective in achieving weight loss and improving obesity-related co-morbidities, they are not without their limitations and consequently there is a growing demand for less invasive approaches. Transoral techniques, as both primary and revisional procedures, are promising in this regard as they may provide a safer and more cost-effective means of achieving meaningful weight loss. The aim of this paper is to review the currently available transoral approaches to weight loss, with a particular focus on those applied in human trials.