Gastric Balloon

Who is the gastric balloon applied to?

Gastric balloon can be applied to people who cannot lose weight despite diet and whose body mass indexes (BMI=Weight/Height²) are between 30-40, as well as for patients who are extremely obese (BMI>40) for whom weight loss surgery is decided, it can be used as a bridge treatment by losing weight before surgery. .

How long does the gastric balloon stay in the stomach and how much weight do the patients with balloons lose?

Depending on the type of balloon inserted, it is kept in the stomach for 6-12 months. During this period, the individual loses approximately 15-30% of his initial weight, provided that he/she applies a suitable diet program.

How is the gastric balloon inserted, how long does the procedure take?

There is no surgical operation. In deflated condition, the balloon is swallowed by the anesthetized patient and lowered into the stomach. Then, the endoscopy device is swallowed by the patient and the balloon is inflated with air in the stomach in a controlled manner with the image coming from the endoscopy device on the screen, and when the desired inflation is reached, the connecting tube of the balloon is pulled and the balloon is left in the stomach in an inflated state. This process takes about 15 minutes. After 6-12 months, the balloon is deflated endoscopically and removed from the stomach.

How does the gastric balloon work?

After it is inflated in the stomach, it reduces the stomach volume with its space-occupying effect and thus prevents overeating, and also creates a feeling of fullness as it touches the stomach walls, thus the patient gets rid of the constant feeling of hunger.

Are there any side effects of gastric balloon?

Although there may be complaints such as mild pain and nausea in the first 1-3 days after the procedure, these are very mild with the drugs given.

Who can not be applied gastric balloon?

It is not applied to patients who have undergone stomach surgery, pregnant women.