The Gastric Balloon is a non-surgical procedure available for weight loss in many countries. While gastric balloon procedures generally cost less than other weight loss procedures, the FDA has not approved of the procedure in the United States. The balloon is effective in temporarily reducing hunger, controlling food intake, initiating behavioral (lifestyle) change, and achieving target weight loss of 10 to 25kg. This procdure is also called Toga (for transoral gastroplasty)

What is the gastric balloon?
The gastric balloon is a soft, silicone balloon that is inserted into the stomach and filled with sterile saline (salt water). When the balloon is filled (inflated) it stretches the stomach wall producing a feeling of satiety – or flack of hunger.. Additionally, because the gastric balloon fills a significant portion of the stomach, patients use smaller portion sizes, which means fewer calories!

How is the balloon implanted?
Placement of the balloon takes approximately 20-to-30 minutes to perform by a team of qualified gastroenterologists. Because the balloon is inserted and removed in a day clinic and does not involve surgery, it is considered to be a minimally invasive procedure.

The doctor passes a special endoscope (camera) through the mouth, down the gullet and directly into the stomach. This is done to ensure no abnormalities are present and it is safe to insert the gastric balloon. Once the physician has determined everything is okay, he or she will pass the deflated gastric balloon into the stomach. To ease discomfort, the doctor might offer a local anesthetic to numb the throat to make it easier to swallow. In some cases, muscle relaxants are also used to sooth throat muscles.

Once the gastric balloon is inside the stomach, it is immediately filled with sterile saline through a small filling tube (catheter) attached to the balloon. Once filled, the doctor removes the catheter by gently pulling on the external end. The balloon has a self-sealing valve and at this point it is floating freely in the stomach. Physicians also add a specially made green dye so that in the event of the balloon leaks or ruptures, the patient’s urine will change color, thereby alerting them to visit the doctor.

Because there is no general anesthesia involved in this weight loss procedure, the patient is observed for a short time, he or she is free to leave the hospital in one or two hours.

Overweight people who have tried diets and exercise but have not achieved lasting weight loss may be candidates for obesity surgery. Obesity surgery has helped thousands of people in America or abroad lose weight, improve their appearance and improve their health. Weight loss surgery may not be for you. Also this option is currently only available for obese persons. But there are New Trends in Obesity Surgery! We describe them all here at “New Obesity Surgery” Blog!

Patients considering obesity surgery need to have realistic weight loss expectations. Patients also need to make changes to the diet after undergoing obesity surgery.

Bariatric surgical procedures can be divided into three kinds:
1. Restrictive procedures decrease food intake and promote a feeling of fullness after meals. Examples are Adjustable Gastric Banding (Lapband) or Gastroplasty (reduction of the stomach).
2. Malabsorptive procedures reduce the absorption of calories, proteins and other nutrients. Examples are the Biliopancreatic Diversion or the Duodenal Switch. Both are rarely used.
3. A combination of both restrictive and malabsorptive procedures. Examples are the Mini Gastric Bypass, Proximal Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and the Distal Roux-enY Gastric Bypass.

Almost all above described obesity surgery procedures have resulted in consistent short-term weight loss. Unfortunately there is no perfect operation. The remarkable drive for the obese patient to regain weight cannot be eliminated in all patients. Furthermore, the history of weight loss surgery repeats itself with procedures that seemed initially to be very promising and safe in theory, but which were later found to be failures. As such, newer procedures should always be viewed with caution.

The Proximal Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGBP) has been the most commonly used procedure in USA. The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass outnumbers all other procedures and results and count almost for 80% of all bariatric surgeries performed worldwide.

A new restrictive procedure is being clinical tested. The Intragastric Balloon is a silicone prosthesis of spherical format and has a smooth surface. It is introduced into the patient’s stomach by an endoscopic procedure. In general there is no need for hospitalization.

It is important to gather further information about weight loss surgery by consulting an experienced and knowledgeable bariatric surgeon or even just an expert family physician who knows the ins and outs of weight loss surgery. In addition, the patient should also consult the other health experts such as the psychiatrist and dietician with regards to some psychological advices on long-term goals after the operation. Bariatric surgeons do normally have those experts within their staff.