Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Is surgery the best current option and can novel endoscopy play a role in the future?

Abstract

Over the last decade, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has overtaken alcohol as the leading cause of cirrhosis in the Western world. There remains to be a licensed pharmacological treatment for NAFLD. Weight loss is advised for all patients with NAFLD. Many patients however, struggle to lose the recommended weight with lifestyle modification alone. Many drugs have either failed to show significant improvement of steatosis or are poorly tolerated. Bariatric surgery has been shown to reduce liver steatosis and regress liver fibrosis. The pathophysiology is not fully understood, however recent evidence has pointed towards changes in the gut microbiome following surgery. Novel endoscopic treatment options provide a minimally invasive alternative for weight loss. Randomised controlled trials are now required for further clarification.

Keywords: Bariatric endoscopy; Bariatric surgery; Metabolic associated fatty liver disease; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; Obesity.