What does a gastric balloon treatment entail?

The gastric or intragastric balloon is a temporary weight loss treatment that you can do during your medical tourism trip. This treatment is almost always part of a comprehensive program that also includes diet, physical activity or precedes bariatric surgery, if necessary.

What does gastric or intragastric balloon treatment consist of?

It consists of placing a small silicone balloon filled with saline solution inside the stomach for a period of 6 months, producing a feeling of fullness and early satiety, with the aim of reducing hunger and the amount of food you can eat. It is performed on an outpatient basis by digestive tract specialists, through endoscopy under anesthesia and does not involve surgery.

Benefits of the gastric balloon

Generally, gastric balloon treatment achieves a loss of body weight between 12 and 40% in 6 months and favors the improvement of eating habits. This contributes to improving Diabetes Mellitus, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver conditions, sleep apnea, high cholesterol levels, esophageal reflux and osteoarthritis.

When is the gastric balloon indicated?

Your doctor will determine if you are a candidate to benefit from gastric balloon treatment for weight loss. However, you may be eligible if you have not had prior esophageal or stomach surgery and are in any of these situations:

• Overweight associated with Type 2 Diabetes and other conditions that require controlling body weight as soon as possible.
• Overweight or obesity who does not achieve the desired weight loss with medications, changes in diet and physical activity, even without having an indication for bariatric surgery.
• Severe or morbid obesity, that is, a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 35 and 40 kg/m2 or you need to prepare for bariatric surgery.
• Obesity with indication for bariatric surgery but cannot undergo surgery due to high surgical risk or does not wish to undergo surgery.

What is the gastric balloon treatment process like?

Before the procedure, you may need to undergo studies and adjust your usual food and medication intake.

During the placement of the gastric balloon, a friendly team will prepare and administer medications so that the procedure is not bothersome. A thin flexible probe is introduced through the mouth into the stomach, the endoscope with an attached camera is slid and the digestive cavity is observed to verify that it has the appropriate conditions, the deflated silicone bag is placed and filled with sterile saline solution. This process lasts between 20 and 45 minutes, the endoscope is removed and between 1 and 2 hours of evolution are expected before the person can go home.

In the first two weeks of recovery, you should eat only liquid foods and avoid intense physical activity. It is possible that at this stage abdominal and digestive discomfort may occur that improves over time. Then soft foods are consumed for another two weeks until a normal diet is reached, according to the evolution of each person.

After 6 months, the balloon can be removed in an endoscopy service or another one can be inserted if required.   

Recommendations of Medical Boulevard so that you are successful in your gastric balloon weight loss medical tourism trip.

• Consult your doctor to find out if you are a candidate or eligible for gastric balloon treatment.
• Ask your doctor for information about possible complications that this treatment may have in your case and how to deal with them.
• Follow the instructions of the medical staff throughout the entire process, including recovery, and do not expose yourself to unnecessary risks. 
• Contact the medical team immediately if you have any inconvenience with the procedure performed.
• Incorporate dietary habits and adequate physical activity to achieve long-term results.
• Consider your medical tourism trip as an ideal time to commit to improving your lifestyle and making a lasting positive change for your health.