Gastric Balloon

As a result of situations such as wrong eating habits and insufficient physical activity, people may develop diseases such as being overweight and obesity in advanced cases. Different health problems can accompany this weight gain. In such cases, people engage in behaviors such as going to a dietitian, changing their eating habits or moving to an active life. Sometimes they have difficulty following these behaviors and weight gain continues. With the influence of not wanting to resort to surgical methods, alternative applications are considered. Among these applications, the gastric balloon stands out as one of the non-surgical gastric reduction methods. It is preferred by many people because it is a non-surgical application that can be done in a short time.

In the article, we will address the points you wonder about the gastric balloon application under the following headings:

• What is a gastric balloon?
• In which situations and for whom is the gastric balloon suitable?
• How is the gastric balloon applied?
• What are the advantages of gastric balloon?
• What are the risks of gastric balloon?

What is a Gastric Balloon?

For a healthier life, the patient may need to lose weight in a short time, and in such cases, non-surgical operations are more prominent. Gastric balloon, which is used in the treatment of obesity, is a non-surgical method applied to reduce the amount of food eaten and to feel full in a shorter time. The feeling of hunger, which is the most important factor in being overweight and gaining weight continuously, can be eliminated in a short time when the patient starts to eat through the gastric balloon. Therefore, the patient loses weight after the procedure.

In which situations and for whom is the gastric balloon suitable?

Gastric balloon stands out as a non-surgical method and is applied to people with the following features:

• Patients are expected to be between the ages of 18-55.
• In order for this application to take place, the patient's body mass index must be 27 and above.
• In particular, it is expected that the patient cannot get full early, cannot adapt to the diet, and has tried different ways before. Despite this, patients who cannot lose weight may prefer gastric balloon instead of surgical methods.
• Gastric balloon is not applied to some patients. Among the patients who did not apply a gastric balloon; There are those who have stomach ulcers, those who have a stomach hernia or those who are pregnant.

How is the Gastric Balloon Applied?

It is decided whether or not to apply a gastric balloon by considering the general health status of the patient and whether there is any problem in his stomach. General anesthesia is not required during gastric balloon placement. For this reason, the patient is not put to sleep while the balloon is placed. But placement methods may differ. It can be placed in two different ways, endoscopic and swallowable:

Endoscopic Gastric Balloon

The patient should not eat or drink anything before the gastric balloon placed with the endoscopic method. At the beginning of the procedure, sedation is applied to make the patient feel comfortable. Then, the balloon is inserted into the stomach with endoscopy with a camera at the end. After the balloon is placed, it is inflated with salt water or a blue dye. The balloon is allowed to cover more than half of the stomach, but how much to inflate varies from patient to patient. All transactions are completed within 1 hour at the latest

Swallowable Gastric Balloon

The swallowable gastric balloon is much easier and more functional than the endoscopic method. As a method of administration, the balloon, which is located at the end of a thin wire, is given to the patient in the form of a capsule that has not yet been inflated. The patient is asked to swallow this balloon with water. Then, after the balloon reaches the stomach, X-ray imaging is performed. Make sure it is in the right spot. The balloon is inflated while in the stomach through a thin wire-like cable. The balloon, which is inflated with 500 ml of potassium sorbate water, is checked again by X-ray. All these processes take place within 20 minutes. A swallowable gastric balloon is applied, which does not require anesthesia. After staying in the stomach for 4 months, it is expected to be included in the excretory system by being thrown into the intestines.

What are the Advantages of Gastric Balloon?

Gastric balloon is very advantageous due to the absence of any incisions or stitches. It is both short and there is no post-operative process that will affect the days of the patients. It is preferred by many people as it helps them to lose weight.

What are the Risks of Gastric Balloon?

Nausea and vomiting are among the most common conditions after gastric balloon application. These symptoms are not a risk, they usually occur within the first week and then subside. However, if vomiting continues, it is thought that the balloon does not fit in the patient's stomach. It is ensured that the balloon is reduced by the effect of being adjustable. Complaints are followed up and the process is monitored.