Table Of Contents
- What is Gastric Balloon?
- Who should undergo a Gastric balloon procedure?
- How is Gastric Balloon performed?
- What are the advantages of a Gastric Balloon?
- After-surgery care
- To sum it up,
What is Gastric Balloon?
The Intragastric balloon is a non-invasive procedure performed to help you lose weight by placing a saline-filled silicone balloon in your stomach. This limits the portion of the food you eat, thus making you feel satiated faster.
If diet and exercise haven’t helped you lose weight or if you have any weight-related conditions, then the intragastric balloon procedure may be an alternative.
An intragastric balloon, like other weight-loss surgeries, demands a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. You must adopt permanent changes to your dietary lifestyle and exercise regularly to ensure the procedure’s long-term success.
Who should undergo a Gastric balloon procedure?
You can go for an intragastric balloon procedure if:
- You are willing to change your dietary lifestyle and get proper follow up
- You have not had any previous stomach or esophageal surgery
- Your BMI is between 30 and 40
How is Gastric Balloon performed?
A gastric balloon, also known as Orbera, is dyed in blue color and is inserted into the stomach through an endoscopic procedure. These tubes are inserted through the mouth directly to the stomach with the balloon placed on the tubes. Once the tube reaches the stomach, the balloon is inflated using saline solution. This balloon stays in the stomach for not more than six months. Once inflated, the balloon prevents the intake of large amounts of food by making you feel full.
After six months, the endoscopic tubes are again inserted to remove the balloon in a similar procedure.
What are the advantages of a Gastric Balloon?
Here are some of the benefits of a gastric balloon.
- You will eat less as you will feel full once the balloon is inserted into the stomach.
- It is less expensive as compared to other surgical procedures.
- It is a non-invasive procedure, i.e., there is no laparoscopy or any other surgical procedure involved making it the perfect option for weight loss procedure.
- It is temporary and can be easily removed.
After-surgery care
You need to have small amounts of clear liquids around six hours after the procedure. This liquid diet will continue till the second week, after which you can eat soft foods. You can start eating regular foods around three weeks after the insertion of the intragastric balloon.
As mentioned above, the gastric balloon will stay in your stomach for up to six months and then be removed using an endoscopy procedure. At that time, a new balloon may be placed or not as decided by you and your doctor.
An intragastric balloon can help you feel fuller quicker than normal when eating, making you eat less. One reason for this could be that the intragastric balloon prohibits the emptying of the stomach. Another reason could be that the balloon appears to alter the levels of appetite-controlling hormones.
The amount of weight you lose is also factored by your ability to alter your lifestyle patterns, such as food and exercise.
To sum it up,
If weight-loss procedures don’t work and if you are not interested in surgery, then Gastric Balloon is a good option. It will help you lose weight within six months. However, make sure that you need to follow a healthy lifestyle and proper exercise to prevent regaining weight.
