Achieve Sustainable Weight Loss With a Gastric Balloon
A gastric balloon procedure can be a great option for people who’d like help with weight loss but don’t want to undergo a surgical weight-loss procedure like gastric bypass surgery.
A gastric balloon operation requires no incisions, and the entire procedure takes about 20 minutes. Plus, most patients can return home the same day. Unlike bariatric surgery, a gastric balloon procedure is reversible and requires a significantly shorter recovery time, allowing you to get back to the life you love in just a matter of days, rather than weeks.
What Is a Gastric Balloon Procedure?
Also known as intragastric balloon implantation, a gastric balloon procedure is a less invasive alternative to bariatric surgery. A deflated silicone balloon is endoscopically placed into your stomach while you're under mild sedation. The balloon is then filled with saline solution, creating less space in your stomach for food.
Often, patients lose between 10 and 15% of their starting body weight within the first six months after the procedure, with the potential to lose additional weight with time.
What to Know About Gastric Balloon Procedures
- How Gastric Balloon Procedures Work
-
A gastric balloon operation is a nonsurgical procedure that requires no incisions. It’s usually performed under conscious sedation rather than general anesthesia. Most often, patients can return home the same day, making it an outpatient procedure.
Your gastroenterologist or bariatric surgeon will use a special tool called an endoscope to place a soft, silicone balloon into your stomach through your mouth and esophagus. Once in the stomach, the balloon is filled with a saline solution, allowing it to expand. The result is less room in your stomach, making you feel fuller with less food and for much longer.
Most gastric balloons are designed to remain in the digestive system for six months, though some can remain for up to 12 months if recommended by your doctor. When it's time to remove the balloon, it’s done using the same endoscopic, noninvasive procedure.
- Benefits of a Gastric Balloon
-
Intragastric balloon implantation offers a variety of health benefits, including:
- Improving or stopping certain obesity-related conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, joint pain, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and sleep apnea
- Loss of, on average, 10 to 15% of your starting weight after six months
- Motivation to adopt healthy lifestyle changes, such as exercising and eating a healthy diet
And, compared to weight-loss surgery, a gastric balloon procedure:
- Allows most patients to return home the same day, rather than staying multiple days in the hospital
- Delays how quickly food leaves your digestive system, helping you feel fuller for longer
- Has a shorter recovery period (just a few days, compared to a few weeks)
- Involves less intense potential side effects
- Is noninvasive, requiring no incisions
- Is reversible and removed after a certain time period
- Requires no need for general anesthesia
Additionally, the required body mass index (BMI) for this procedure is typically lower than other bariatric options, making it more accessible to a wider range of people.
- Who Is a Candidate for a Gastric Balloon?
-
To be eligible for an intragastric balloon procedure, patients need to meet the following criteria:
- A BMI between 30 and 40
- Have not previously had weight-loss surgery
- Long-term commitment to a medically supervised weight-loss program that accompanies the procedure
- Not eligible for or not interested in having bariatric surgery
- Over 18 years of age
- Previous attempts at losing weight with just diet and exercise alone
Your doctor may advise you not to have a gastric balloon procedure if you have any of the following medical issues:
- Bleeding or blood-clotting disorders
- Certain mental health disorders
- Gastrointestinal disease or surgery
- Hiatal hernia
- Liver disease
- Pregnancy
- Substance use disorder
It is also important to note that, like any medical procedure, there are a few potential risks associated with intragastric balloon implantation, including:
- Acute pancreatitis
- Deflated or ruptured balloon
- Gastrointestinal side effects that do not go away
- Intestinal obstruction or blockage
- Over-inflation of the balloon
- Perforation of the stomach or esophagus
- Ulcers
- What to Expect During the Procedure
-
If you’re approved for an intragastric balloon implantation, there are certain steps you and your doctor will follow before, during and after the procedure.
Before the procedure, your doctor will have a detailed discussion with you on how the gastric balloon works, its potential risks and what to expect during and after. They will also order blood work and other testing before the procedure. They’ll also ask you to schedule someone to pick you up and drive you home afterward, since you cannot drive yourself on the day of your procedure.
A day or two before your gastric balloon procedure, your doctor will ask you to switch to a clear liquid diet to help empty your stomach for the procedure, and to not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before.
On the day of your procedure:
- You’ll check in at the front desk of the hospital or outpatient clinic where your procedure will be performed.
- A nurse will take you back to the procedure room, where they’ll help you feel comfortable and answer any remaining questions you may have.
- Your doctor will give you a mild sedative to help you relax.
- Once you’re sedated, your doctor will use an endoscope, which includes a flexible tube with a camera at one end, to pass a deflated silicone balloon through your mouth and throat into your stomach.
- When the deflated balloon is in place, your doctor will fill the balloon with a saline solution to inflate it.
- Once the balloon is filled properly, your doctor will remove the endoscope.
Generally, an intragastric balloon implantation takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. Once completed, you’ll move to a recovery area to wake up from your sedation. Your medical team will observe you for any complications and provide you with medication for pain or nausea as needed. Most people are discharged within two hours post-surgery.
It’s common for gastric balloon patients to experience some mild gastrointestinal-related side effects for the first week after the procedure, such as:
- Acid reflux
- Constipation
- Indigestion
- Mild stomach pain
- Nausea
- Sore throat
Your doctor will instruct you to follow a clear liquid diet for a few days after the procedure to allow your body to adjust to the balloon. From there, you will need to transition to soft foods and then eventually return to your normal diet after about two weeks.
Most patients can return to work within the first three days, as long as their job is not physically demanding. Your doctor will recommend that you avoid any strenuous activities for the first two to four weeks after your procedure.
You’ll also begin to meet regularly with your weight-loss team, which includes a nutritionist, to help you adjust and adopt healthy dietary choices.
Gastric Surgeons Dedicated to You
A gastric balloon procedure can be a great option for those looking to reach a healthier weight without the surgical risks or extended recovery time of traditional bariatric surgery. Our experienced bariatric team is here to guide you with personalized care, so you can feel confident every step of the way.
-
Q:Question: Is a gastric balloon procedure covered by insurance?
A:Answer:Every health insurance provider has different criteria regarding their gastric balloon coverage. It’s important to call your provider or review your policy to find out what factors you need to meet in order for it to be covered.
-
Q:Question: How much weight can I expect to lose with a gastric balloon?
A:Answer:Most patients lose between 10 to 15% of their starting body weight within six months of having an intragastric balloon implantation. However, even greater weight loss is possible. How much weight you lose is dependent upon your body and whether you follow through with healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy, nutrient-rich diet.
-
Q:Question: What dietary changes will I need to make after the procedure?
A:Answer:Your doctor will advise you to switch to a clear liquid diet a few days before your procedure to help clear out your stomach. You’ll need to stay on clear liquids for a few days afterward as well. From there, you’ll transition to soft foods and then a regular healthy diet.
-
Q:Question: How long is the recovery time after gastric balloon placement?
A:Answer:Recovery time after an intragastric balloon implantation is much shorter than that of bariatric surgery. Typically, you can return to work within three days of your operation if your job is not physically demanding. Additionally, patients shouldn’t do anything overly strenuous for the first two to four weeks after the procedure.
-
Q:Question: How long does the gastric balloon stay in place?
A:Answer:A gastric balloon is generally intended to stay in the stomach for up to six months, although in some cases, it can remain for up to a year.
Take Health Into
Your Own Hands
Do more than ever before in one handy download.
- View Lab Results
- Pay Bills
- Message Your Care Team
- Schedule Appointments
- 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care
- Access Health Records with MyChart
Customize Your Emails and Get the Health Content You Care About
Connect with us and get wellness tips delivered right to your inbox. We’ll customize your monthly AdventHealth newsletter to topics that matter most to you on your journey to wholeness.