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Explained step by step

Weight Doctors® hydroGMA Procedure,
aftercare & safety

How the procedure works, what to expect afterwards, what risks there are and when the method is not suitable.

Book a consultationCosts
In conversation

hydroGMA explained – by our experts

In conversation with PD Dr. med. Dörte Wichmann and Dr. med. Oliver Scheffel – explained clearly. Tap on a part: the films play one after another like a story.

  1. 01What is hydroGMA?PD Dr. med. Dörte Wichmann & Dr. med. Oliver Scheffel

  2. 02How hydroGMA worksDr. med. Oliver Scheffel

  3. 03What the studies showPD Dr. med. Dörte Wichmann

  4. 04Gentler than a gastric balloonDr. med. Oliver Scheffel

  5. 05Back to everyday life the very next dayPD Dr. med. Dörte Wichmann

  6. 06How much weight is possible?Dr. med. Oliver Scheffel

  7. 07The procedure – 30 minutes, no restrictionsPD Dr. med. Dörte Wichmann

  8. 08Combined with the endo sleeveDr. med. Oliver Scheffel

  9. 09Two methods, one procedurePD Dr. med. Dörte Wichmann & Dr. med. Oliver Scheffel

hydroGMA explained – by our experts1 / 9

How your therapy is structured

Two building blocks.
One plan.

The Weight Doctors® MEMBERSHIP is the foundation of every therapy: medical oversight, progress monitoring and aftercare. The treatment you choose together with your specialist builds on it.

Building block 1

Weight Doctors® MEMBERSHIP

The foundation for every Weight Doctors® therapy – with the tools that support your treatment and record your progress for your medical consultations.

  • Weight Doctors® AppKeep an eye on weight, activity and sleep, for iOS and Android
  • Digital body scalesBluetooth scales – the readings flow straight into the app
  • 3D BodyscanMeasure body composition objectively, up to twice a year
  • Priority access to specialistsby phone, video or on site, without a long wait
  • 360 coaches and Weight Doctors® MiraNutrition and behaviour in everyday life, aftercare with your coaches
  • E-prescription servicePrescriptions issued digitally – after medical approval
More on the Membership
Building block 2

Weight Doctors® hydroGMA procedure, aftercare & safety

How the procedure works, what to expect afterwards, what risks there are and when the method is not suitable.

Procedure
Endoscopic, no incisions
Duration
approx. 30 min
Price
on request
Costs

The Membership does not replace a medical decision: whether treatment makes sense, and which one, is decided by your specialist after a medical assessment.

In comparison

hydroGMA in comparison

Three endoscopic routes to weight loss, all without an incision – and what sets them apart.

  • Weight Doctors® hydroGMA

    Acts on hunger
    Principle
    can lower the hunger hormone ghrelin
    Anaesthesia
    Sedation or brief anaesthesia
    Foreign body in the stomach
    none
    Duration
    approx. 30 min
    Back to everyday life
    usually the next day
    Follow-up procedure
    not necessary
    Repeatable
    yes

  • Gastric balloon

    Temporary
    Principle
    Balloon in the stomach – can make you feel full sooner
    Anaesthesia
    Sedation or brief anaesthesia, Allurion without
    Foreign body in the stomach
    Balloon (temporary)
    Duration
    approx. 20–30 min
    Back to everyday life
    after a few days
    Follow-up procedure
    yes – removal after 6–12 months (Allurion: no)
    Repeatable
    yes (balloon replacement)

  • Weight Doctors SLEEVE®

    Stomach reduced from the inside
    Principle
    Stomach reduced from the inside with sutures
    Anaesthesia
    General anaesthesia
    Foreign body in the stomach
    none (sutures only)
    Duration
    30–60 min
    Back to everyday life
    after 3–4 days
    Follow-up procedure
    not necessary
    Repeatable
    limited

Personally here for youDr. Nava Zimmer · Internal medicine and gastroenterology

Your guide

Procedure and safety at a glance

From the suitability assessment through the procedure to aftercare – and openly about risks and other paths.

The procedure: one probe for all steps

Gastric mucosal ablation is carried out endoscopically via a gastroscopy, without external incisions. A gastroscope is passed through the mouth into the stomach; the MOVIVA® probe is advanced through its working channel.

For the treatment we use what is known as hybrid APC, a technique that has been used routinely in endoscopy for many years. The MOVIVA® probe combines a water jet and argon plasma in one instrument; no change of instrument is needed during the procedure.

Important to know: the procedure is supportive and does not replace a change of lifestyle. Success varies from person to person. In obesity treatment, hydroGMA is a new technique; long-term data are still limited, depending on the state of the studies.

MOVIVA® probe for gastric mucosal ablation
The MOVIVA® probe for gastric mucosal ablation.

Safety from a single source

  • Clear informationBefore every treatment we inform you thoroughly and personally – about the procedure, the risks and your individual suitability.
  • Prepared for the unexpectedIf complications such as bleeding or perforation occur, we immediately take the necessary measures – for example endoscopic haemostasis, closure of the perforation or drug treatment.
  • Weight Doctors® NationalklinikhydroGMA is carried out in our specialised obesity centre.
  • Usually as an outpatientAn application of around 30 minutes; back to everyday life usually as early as the next day.
  • Telemedical aftercareCheck-ups conveniently by video; with good healing, no appointments on site.
  • Open about alternativeshydroGMA is one of several options. We advise you openly on the options that are suitable for you.

Before the procedure: suitability and preparation

Whether hydroGMA is an option for you does not depend on weight alone. Before we plan a procedure, we check your suitability carefully – in a personal conversation, by telephone or by video, and with a gastroscopy to assess the stomach. Among other things, we look at:

Doctor’s office in the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik
  • Starting weight, weight history and personal weight-loss goal
  • Related conditions and previous attempts at treatment
  • Illnesses or previous operations on the stomach and oesophagus
  • Medication, blood clotting and anaesthetic risk
  • Eating behaviour, expectations and willingness to commit to long-term aftercare
  • hydroGMA may not be suitable in the case of active stomach ulcers, severe clotting disorders, certain previous stomach operations, during pregnancy or in the case of severe general illnesses.

“For us, informed consent is not a form but a conversation. You should know exactly what happens, what it can do for you – and where the limits lie. Only then do you decide.”

Dr. med. Oliver Scheffel

The procedure in detail

Hand guiding the endoscope, with the gastroscopy monitor in the background
  1. PreparationYou arrive fasted, as instructed by your doctor. The procedure is carried out under sedation or brief anaesthesia so that you feel none of it.
  2. GastroscopyFirst, the area of the gastric fundus to be treated is marked. Then a saline cushion, injected under the mucosa by water jet, lifts the top layer of mucosa – so the deeper layers of the stomach wall are protected from the heat.
  3. AblationOnly then is the lifted mucosa of the gastric fundus ablated in a controlled way with argon plasma; this takes approx. 15–25 minutes. The treated surface then heals.
  4. RecoveryYou recover in the recovery room and are discharged after medical clearance, usually as an outpatient. A feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen is possible and mostly temporary.

After the procedure: your aftercare

The procedure can reduce hunger and so create a window in which new habits are easier to form. It does not do the work for you. That is why hydroGMA is embedded in 360-degree support with us: with the Weight Doctors® App, your personal coach and the Weight Doctors® 360° nutrition coaching with a food log.

At selected locations we measure your body composition with the 3D Bodyscan and create a digital avatar. In this way we follow together how your values and measurements change. And because our specialists can be reached around the clock, you are not alone after the procedure either.

So that the mucosa heals well, these steps are part of aftercare:

Monitoring screen showing pulse and oxygen saturation
  1. immediately afterwardsRecovery roomYou recover until medical clearance is given.
  2. first few daysLiquid and gentle dietAccording to a specific plan, step by step.
  3. during healingStomach protectionMedication protects the mucosa; for pain or nausea as needed.
  4. regularlyCheck-up appointmentsConveniently by video; with a good course, no appointments on site.
  5. long termNutrition and lifestyleA structured programme for a lasting result.

Honest about risks and complications

As with any medical procedure, risks can occur. Most complaints are temporary, more serious complications are rare. That is why the treatment belongs in experienced hands – and in a clinic that is prepared for the event of a complication.

Bright consulting room of Weight Doctors® in Hamburg
  • Common and temporaryNausea, upper abdominal pain or a feeling of pressure, a feeling of fullness, bloating and a sore throat – they usually subside on their own within a few days.
  • RareBleeding, infections, mucosal ulcers, an injury to the stomach wall (perforation), scarring or reactions to the sedation or anaesthesia.
  • Possibleinsufficient weight loss or renewed weight gain; in rare cases, further treatment or an operation is necessary.
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. ScheffelSpecialist in general and bariatric surgery
  • GermanyPD Dr. WichmannSpecialist in visceral surgery & expert in endobariatrics
  • GermanyDr. JohnSpecialist in internal medicine & gastroenterology

All specialists

Other paths to the goal

Depending on the situation, other paths may also be an option:

Transparent stomach model with a gastric balloon

What does hydroGMA cost?

Weight Doctors® hydroGMA is a self-pay service; we will tell you the price on request. We discuss your cost framework openly in the consultation.

Weight Doctors® colleague on the telephone

All prices

Paying in instalments: how it works

If you would like to spread the costs over a longer period, payment in instalments via our partner medipay is possible. You decide the instalment amount and term yourself; medipay reviews your application promptly. You submit the application together with us during your consultation, by phone or entirely paperless online – more under Pay in instalments.

The requirement is sufficient creditworthiness. In detail:

  • Main residence in Germany
  • no negative Schufa entries
  • employed or retired, with disposable income
  • Students, trainees and homemakers can enter a second person from the same household as the borrower – a parent, child, spouse or partner

Apply for instalmentsMore on instalments

Instagram · Procedure, aftercare & safety

Up close

Insights from the clinic, team and treatment – short and real, just like on our Instagram channel.

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Your specialists

In specialist hands.

39 doctors in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and South Africa – at the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim and at your location.

  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. ScheffelSpecialist in general and bariatric surgery
  • GermanyAustriaProf. MillerSpecialist in general and visceral surgery
  • GermanyPD Dr. WichmannSpecialist in visceral surgery & expert in endobariatrics
  • GermanyM. MargolinsSpecialist in general surgery
  • GermanyM. ShalabiSpecialist in general and visceral surgery
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. JennerSpecialist in visceral surgery / specialised visceral surgery
  • GermanyDr. SchüderSpecialist in general, visceral and vascular surgery / specialist in specialised visceral surgery
  • GermanyA. SaberSpecialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
  • NetherlandsProf. GreveSpecialist in visceral and bariatric surgery
  • South AfricaDr. HanningtonSpecialist in surgery
  • South AfricaDr. MabeSpecialist in surgery
  • South AfricaDr. WolmaransSpecialist in surgery
  • GermanyDr. JohnSpecialist in internal medicine & gastroenterology
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. MörmelSpecialist in internal medicine

All specialists

Frequently asked questions

Questions about Weight Doctors® hydroGMA procedure,
aftercare & safety

Your question isn’t listed? Your specialist will take time for it during the consultation.

Does the procedure hurt?

You do not feel the procedure itself; it is carried out under sedation or brief anaesthesia. Afterwards a feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen, nausea or a sore throat may occur; they are mostly temporary, and we prescribe medication for them if needed.

Do I have to fast?

Yes. We will tell you exactly how long beforehand you may not eat or drink when we prepare you.

How long does the ablation take?

The ablation takes approx. 15–25 minutes, the whole examination around 40 minutes.

Do I have to stay in hospital?

As a rule, no: the procedure is usually carried out as an outpatient or requires only a short inpatient stay. After recovering in the recovery room, you are discharged after medical clearance.

When will I be back to everyday life?

Usually as early as the next day. There is no typical settling-in phase with restrictions.

What may I eat afterwards?

After the procedure, an adapted diet follows, that is, a phase of liquid or gentle food. You receive a specific plan and recommendations for this.

What medication will I receive afterwards?

For healing you receive stomach-protection medication. We prescribe remedies for pain and nausea if needed.

How do the check-ups work?

Regular check-up appointments are part of aftercare. They are conveniently possible by video; with good healing you do not need appointments on site.

What complications are possible?

Mostly they are temporary complaints such as nausea or a feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen. More serious complications such as bleeding or an injury to the stomach wall are rare; if they occur, we immediately take the necessary measures. You will find the complete overview above in the chapter on risks and complications.

Who is hydroGMA not suitable for?

The treatment may not be suitable, among other cases, with active stomach ulcers, severe clotting disorders, certain previous stomach operations, during pregnancy or with severe general illnesses. An individual assessment always takes place before the procedure.

How long does the effect last?

That has not yet been conclusively clarified; further studies are under way. Because the ghrelin-producing cells can grow back, repeat treatment is possible in principle.

What alternatives are there?

Depending on the situation: nutrition and exercise therapy, drug therapy, other endoscopic procedures such as Weight Doctors SLEEVE® or, where there is a corresponding indication, surgical procedures such as gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. We advise you on the options that are suitable for you.

Why Weight Doctors®

Good reasons for Weight Doctors®.

Specialised in one thing: lasting weight loss – from medication to surgery, with specialists at your location and our own Nationalklinik.

  • 23Locations in 6 countries
  • 39specialists
  • 5×ProvenExpert Top Recommendation in a row
  • 9treatments from gentle to surgical
ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2022ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2023ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2024ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2025ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2026

All 13 reasons

As seen on TV & in the media

  • BILD
  • DIE WELT
  • ARD
  • Galileo
  • ProSieben
  • WAZ
  • SWR
  • Frankfurter Allgemeine
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  • Handelsblatt
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Other treatments

All paths.
From gentle to surgical.

Every method has its place. Here you can see at a glance how major the procedure is, how long it takes and what starting price you can expect.

Wide range of services
no procedure
Surgery
No procedure

Weight Doctors® GLP-⁠1 pharmacotherapy

Medication-based, no procedure

Medically supervised pharmacotherapy with regular progress monitoring – with no procedure at all.

Duration3–12 months
Pricefrom €599
No procedure

Weight Doctors® 360°

Nutrition coaching

Nutrition coaching and support in everyday life – in person, by video and in the app.

Durationper session
Pricefrom €65
You are hereLong-lastingNewAt the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik

Weight Doctors® hydroGMA

Endoscopic, no incisions

Losing weight without medication: lowering the hunger hormone endoscopically – no surgery, no incisions. On its own or combined with an endo sleeve.

Durationapprox. 30 min
Priceon request
No surgery

Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOON

Temporary, also swallowable

A temporary companion for 6 or 12 months – also swallowable, with no endoscopy at all.

Duration6 or 12 months
Pricefrom €3,490or from €50 a month*
No surgeryHealth insurance cover also possible*

Weight Doctors SLEEVE®

Endoscopic, permanent

Permanent stomach reduction without conventional surgery – endoscopic, outpatient, without scars.

Duration30–60 min
Pricefrom €5,500or from €199 a month*
With surgeryHealth insurance cover also possible*

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®

Surgical, minimally invasive

Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery for higher BMIs, incl. private medical preliminary examination and aftercare.

Duration1–3 nights
Pricefrom €2,500or from €278 a month*
With surgeryHealth insurance cover also possible*

Weight Doctors® REVISION

Corrective procedure after weight-loss surgery

Corrective procedure when earlier weight-loss surgery has not brought the desired success.

Durationindividual
Pricefrom €900
LipoedemaHealth insurance cover also possible*

Weight Doctors® Lipoedema surgery

Liposuction for lipoedema

Specialised liposuction that specifically removes diseased fatty tissue in lipoedema and can relieve pain.

Duration1.5–3 hours
Pricefrom €950
After weight lossHealth insurance cover also possible*

Weight Doctors® RESHAPE

After weight loss

Post-bariatric body contouring after successful weight loss.

Durationindividual
Pricefrom €1,950

* For patients with German statutory health insurance: if the medical indication is established in line with the DGAV guidelines, reimbursement may be possible.

All treatments

Locations

Consultation near you,
treatment in Wertheim

We discuss all questions about the procedure, risks and your suitability in person – at one of our locations, by telephone or by video. Treatment takes place in the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim. Enter your postcode or choose your city:

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