The Gastric Balloon Weight Loss Procedure

The gastric balloon weight loss procedure is a procedure in which a heavy silicone balloon is placed in the stomach. The balloon is then filled with either air or saline solution. The gastric balloon takes up room in the stomach so you can't eat as much food. You feel full faster. This helps you lose weight.

The gastric balloon procedure is considered a form of weight loss surgery, but it isn't really a surgery. Instead, the balloon is inserted into the stomach through your mouth and down your throat. There is no surgical incision. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis and only takes about 15 or 20 minutes to perform.

The balloon is left in place for about six months. Then it is deflated and removed. There are currently studies underway to see if it can be left in place longer, but right now about six months is typical.

The gastric balloon is becoming increasingly popular with those who are overweight, but not overweight enough to qualify for weight loss surgeries like the lap band or gastric bypass. For those surgeries, you generally have to have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or above. For the gastric balloon, though, you only need a BMI of 25 or above.

Of course, the gastric balloon procedure is much less invasive than lap band surgery or gastric bypass. There are some risks. Some patients develop ulcers or erosion from the balloon. Some turn out to be allergic to it, or their bodies reject it (always a risk with a foreign object in the body). There are some side effects, like nausea or vomiting, which usually go away after a few days. But it is a much safer procedure than either lap band surgery or gastric bypass.

But how effective is the gastric balloon procedure? Unfortunately, studies do not show it to be that effective. Studies suggest that you can expect to lose about 35% of your excess body weight with the gastric balloon. That means that if you are 100 pounds overweight, you can expect to lose 35 pounds with the balloon. You would still be 65 pounds overweight. Compare this to an expected loss of about 50% with lap band surgery and about 65% with gastric bypass.

A study was done in which some patients were given a gastric balloon, some patients were placed on 1000 calorie per day diet, and some patients were given a gastric balloon and placed on a diet. Other patients were assigned to a control group. The patients in the control group gained a small amount of weight. The others all lost weight, but those who were assigned to the diet-only group actually lost the most weight. Not the patients who received the gastric balloon.

Another concern is that the balloon is only left in place for about six months. You will have to maintain your weight loss after that, which is difficult for many people.

In light of how little weight you can expect to lose with a gastric balloon and these other studies, you might be just as well off going on a low calorie diet. You can save yourself the time, trouble, and expense of getting a balloon inserted.

The gastric balloon procedure is not usually performed in the U.S. as it has not been approved by the FDA. This is because it has not been proven safe or effective in the eyes of the FDA. However, it is commonly performed in a number of other countries, including Mexico and Europe. You can get the procedure performed in Mexico for about $3500.

Sources:

National Gastric Balloon Centre. http://www.nationalgastricballooncentre.com.A. Geliebter, P. Melton, R. McCray, D. Gage, S. Heymsfield, M. Abiri, S. Hashim. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2071316. Clinical trial of silicone-rubber gastric balloon to treat obesity.Goodbye-obesity.com. http://www.goodbye-obesity.com/weight-loss-surgery/Gastric-Balloon.aspx. Gastric Balloon or Intragastric Balloon.