Gastric Balloon (6 months)

The weight loss treatment known as a Gastric balloon or Intragastric balloon consists of a high-quality silicone prosthesis in the shape of a balloon that is inserted into the stomach via endoscopy, and is filled with a sterile saline solution.

The objective of this device is to reduce the available space in the stomach (food takes longer to leave the stomach), so the sensation of satiety occurs sooner and causes the patient to eat less.

The placement of a gastric balloon is not considered a surgery, but rather a temporary and non-surgical endoscopic treatment.

How long is the gastric balloon placed for?

There are two modalities for gastric balloon placement: for 6 or 12 months. The decision to place the balloon for a specific period always depends on the patient's profile (weight) and their eating habits:

• 6-month balloon: mainly aimed at patients with a BMI between 25 and 34 (guideline values associated with an overweight or mild obesity profile). This patient profile, needing moderate weight loss (between 10-15 kg), can achieve results with this short-term modality, as they are less likely to regain the weight.
• 12-month balloon: recommended for patients with a BMI profile above 35 (moderate or severe obesity profile). This patient profile needs to lose between 15-30 kg and for this reason the duration of the treatment is longer, as they need to be given space to adopt new eating habits before the balloon is removed. In these cases, there is also a higher risk of a rebound effect if time is not allowed for the patient's psychological and physical adaptation to their new habits (dietary re-education).

Unlike the 6-month balloon, the 12-month balloon is made of a more resistant material since the duration of the treatment is longer, and it also requires more prolonged monitoring than the 6-month treatment.

This weight loss treatment is primarily aimed at individuals with a BMI over 27, who have already attempted to lose weight through diet and exercise and have not achieved the expected results.

Gastric balloon placement is indicated for patients with a BMI between 27 and 40; that is, profiles with overweight or mild to moderate obesity.

The Gastric balloon (6 months) modality is mainly aimed at patients with a BMI between 25 and 34 (guideline values associated with an overweight or mild obesity profile); whereas the Gastric balloon (12 months) treatment is indicated for patients with a BMI over 35 (moderate or severe obesity profile).

Additional requirements for the treatment include the patient not having previously undergone another bariatric surgery, and not having been diagnosed with hiatus hernias or ulcers in the stomach area.

The placement of a gastric balloon (6 months) is a non-surgical treatment: it does not involve incisions or open surgery. It is a 100% endoscopic procedure performed under sedation so that the patient feels no pain during the process and remains asleep.

1. On the day of the balloon placement, the patient attends the hospital having fasted from liquids and solids for a minimum of 8 hours. As mentioned, the procedure is performed under deep sedation, with the aim of ensuring the patient is comfortable and feels no pain during the device placement process.
2. Once the patient is sedated and asleep, the specialist begins the procedure. First, a camera is inserted to perform an endoscopic review and ensure that everything is correct in the stomach and oesophagus, and that there is no trace of hernias, active ulcers or other conditions.
3. Once the review has concluded, the balloon is inserted through the mouth with the help of an endoscope and a catheter. The balloon is inserted deflated into the patient's stomach, and once it is confirmed to be inside, the device is filled with saline solution until the necessary volume is reached. This saline is usually mixed with a dye called methylene blue for safety reasons, as it helps to detect potential leaks in the balloon through the urine.
4. Finally, it is verified that the position of the balloon is correct before removing the endoscope and the catheter and leaving the balloon free in the stomach.

Once the intervention is over, the patient is taken to a recovery room where they are monitored until they recover from the sedation.

The total duration of the placement treatment is 15 to 30 minutes.

This bariatric treatment is an outpatient treatment: the patient returns home on the same day of the procedure without the need for a hospital stay.

Is prior preparation required for this procedure?

Yes, it is necessary to follow a liquid diet in the days prior (2-5 days) to the treatment, as it is important to prepare the stomach for the placement of the device.

Furthermore, it is important to attend having fasted completely for a minimum of 8 hours on the day of the balloon placement.

As it is not an invasive surgery and does not require general anaesthesia, it is not necessary to undergo a full preoperative study before the procedure.

Even so, a prior medical evaluation is carried out during the surgical assessment consultation in which the patient's medical records, BMI, and previous blood tests are reviewed; in some special cases, diagnostic tests such as an electrocardiogram or digestive tests may be requested.

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During the first 3 days after the balloon placement, it is normal for the patient to experience various symptoms, such as nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting or a feeling of bloating, as the stomach must adapt to the balloon itself.

The specialist usually prescribes medication to the patient to help with these symptoms during the first few days; even so, it is normal to feel discomfort even with the help of medication.

Regarding the diet to follow during the first few days after the device implantation, one must start with a liquid-based diet and then progressively adapt to a solid diet:

• During the first 5 days, the patient must consume only liquids such as water, broths, herbal teas, light cream soups, and yoghurts or protein shakes.
• From the fifth day onwards, soft solids can be consumed to gradually move towards a normal diet.

It is also very important to rest and avoid strenuous efforts during the first few days of the post-operative period. From 2-3 days after discharge, the patient can begin to lead a normal life with caution, and depending on their occupation, can return to their place of work.

In less than 1 week, the patient returns to a normal life and resumes their daily activities.

Evolution during the months of the gastric balloon treatment (6 months)

As the weeks pass, the patient's stomach has fully adapted to the balloon and the results begin to be noticed during the first weeks: a significant reduction in the patient's appetite, and progressive and significant weight loss.

During the months of the treatment, the patient usually loses 10-20% of the body weight with which they started the treatment, which is approximately 10-15 kg.

It is important to bear in mind that the patient must adapt their eating habits during this period, to prepare themselves physically and psychologically for the removal of the balloon.

Once the treatment ends and the time comes for the removal of the balloon, the patient must continue working to maintain the weight achieved, avoid the rebound effect and continue with the new eating habits adapted during the process.

Once the 6 months of treatment have been completed, it is time to remove the gastric balloon from the stomach.

1. Prior preparation: The patient must follow a liquid diet in the 48-72 h prior to the day of the device removal to prepare the stomach.
2. On the day of the balloon removal, the patient must attend having fasted from liquids and solids for at least 8 hours.
3. Before starting the removal procedure, deep sedation is administered to the patient so that they are asleep during the process.
4. Once the patient is sedated, the endoscope is inserted through the mouth until it reaches the stomach.
5. With the help of a needle catheter, the balloon is punctured and then all the liquid inside is aspirated until it is deflated.
6. Once empty, the balloon is removed with the help of surgical forceps through the mouth.
7. Before removing the endoscope, the stomach is reviewed to check that everything is correct.

The entire gastric balloon removal procedure lasts approximately 15-30 minutes.

The gastric balloon offers numerous benefits for improving the patient's quality of life:

• It is a minimally invasive and safe treatment, which does not involve surgery or irreversible changes to the anatomy of the stomach.
• The greatest advantage: this treatment helps to lose weight quickly thanks to the balloon device.
• The patient loses between 10% and 20% of their body weight in 6 months of treatment.
• Another benefit is that it helps the patient to adapt to new eating habits and learn to reduce food quantities during the 6 months of treatment (re-education of eating habits).
• Another advantage is that, as it is not an invasive surgery, the patient receives hospital discharge on the same day as the endoscopic procedure.
• In some cases, it can even help to improve associated conditions such as hypertension or the risk of diabetes.

As with any medical treatment, gastric balloon placement can involve discomfort and certain uncommon risks such as:

• During the first 24-72 h after discharge from hospital, the patient experiences various symptoms, from nausea to abdominal pain and vomiting, while the stomach "gets used" to the gastric balloon device.
• Balloon rupture or leak: it is unusual, but a defect in the balloon can occur causing it to deflate, meaning it begins to lose the liquid injected during the procedure. In this case, the patient will notice this situation if their urine turns blue due to the dye contained in the saline.
• Rebound effect: there is a risk of experiencing a rebound effect after the removal of the gastric balloon; if the patient has not managed to adapt to the new eating habits, the weight will return.
• In rare cases, the patient may suffer side effects such as acid reflux or dehydration.
• Finally, in exceptional and serious complications, there can be cases of intestinal obstruction, balloon migration, perforation or oesophageal tear. These types of complications tend to be quite infrequent, affecting fewer than 2% of cases.

At Operarme we work to make the process of your medical treatment as comfortable as possible for you, so that you only have to worry about your health.

We offer several benefits if you decide to contract our service and be treated with us:

• Personalised care throughout the surgical process: our patient service team will manage all the details and dates for your treatment; furthermore, they will accompany you at every stage of the process, guiding you and answering all your questions.
• Fixed price with everything included: from the very first moment, you will know the final price.
• Free surgical assessment consultation: so that you can evaluate your case with one of our specialists and decide if you want to go ahead with the treatment through Operarme, without any obligation.
• Medical complications insurance: we include in the fixed price of this treatment a medical complications insurance that covers potential eventualities that may occur to the patient during the gastric balloon placement procedure and in the 30 days following the intervention.

If you are thinking of treating your weight problems with a gastric balloon, remember that at Operarme you can request an immediate and free surgical assessment consultation with our specialists via the contact form, by calling at +34 91 141 33 56 or by clicking below:

Are you interested in Gastric balloon treatment?

Request a free surgical assessment consultation without the wait with our Bariatric Surgery specialist.

Request appointment