Intragastric balloon
About this test
Intragastric balloon placement is a weight-loss procedure that involves placing a saline-filled silicone balloon in your stomach. This helps you lose weight by limiting how much you can eat and making you feel full faster. Placing an intragastric balloon is a temporary procedure that does not require surgery.
Why it's done
The placement of an intragastric balloon helps you lose weight. Weight loss can lower your risk of potentially serious weight-related health problems, such as: Certain cancers, including breast, endometrial and prostate cancer. Heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure. High cholesterol levels. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Sleep apnea. Type 2 diabetes. Intragastric balloon placement and other weight-loss procedures or surgeries are typically done only after you've tried to lose weight by improving your diet and exercise habits.
Risks and complications
Pain and nausea affect about one-third of people soon after insertion of an intragastric balloon. However, these symptoms usually only last for a few days after balloon placement. Although rare, serious side effects may occur after intragastric balloon placement. Call your doctor immediately if nausea, vomiting and belly pain occur any time after surgery. A potential risk includes balloon deflation. If the balloon deflates, there's also a risk that it could move through your digestive system. This can cause a blockage that may require another procedure or surgery to remove the device. Other possible risks include overinflation, acute pancreatitis, ulcers or a hole in the stomach wall, called a perforation. A perforation might require surgery to fix.
How to prepare
If you're going to have an intragastric balloon placed in your stomach, your health care team will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for your procedure. You may need to have various lab tests and exams before your procedure. You may need to restrict what you eat and drink, as well as which medications you take, in the time leading up to the procedure. You also may be required to start a physical activity program.
Understanding your results
An intragastric balloon can make you feel full faster than you normally would when eating, which often means you'll eat less. One reason why may be that the intragastric balloon slows down the time it takes to empty the stomach. Another reason may be that the balloon seems to change levels of hormones that control appetite. The amount of weight you lose also depends on how much you can change your lifestyle habits, including diet and exercise. Based on a summary of currently available treatments, loss of about 12% to 40% of body weight is typical during the six months after intragastric balloon placement. As with other procedures and surgeries that lead to significant weight loss, the intragastric balloon may help improve or resolve conditions often related to being overweight, including: Heart disease. High blood pressure. High cholesterol levels. Sleep apnea. Type 2 diabetes. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Joint pain caused by osteoarthritis. Skin conditions, including psoriasis and acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition that causes a dark discoloration in body folds and creases.
Disclaimer: August is a health information platform and its responses don't constitute medical advise. Always consult with a licenced medical professional near you before making any changes.