Obesity is an ever-increasing problem in the world
Obesity is an ever-increasing problem in the world. Being obese not only affects your body image but also increases your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, joint problems and certain cancers. It goes without saying that a proper diet and regular physical activity are most important in controlling body weight. However, it is commonly seen that obese individuals find it difficult to lose weight with only diet and exercise. Such individuals seek opinion regarding other options to lose weight. Of course, there are some medications that can help reduce weight, but the weight loss is quite modest. Individuals who are excessively overweight such as those with a BMI over 35 can have a bariatric or weight loss surgery for successful weight loss. However, surgery cannot be done in many individuals and many people do not wish to have surgery.
There are now minimally invasive endoscopic techniques that can help in weight loss. The simplest amongst these is placement of an intragastric balloon. The intragastric balloon is made up of a silicon that can withstand the gastric acid and digestive juices. It is placed in the stomach and inflated with 500 – 800 ml of water. Presence of a balloon in the stomach gives you a feeling to satiety and reduces food intake. In general, it is common to lose about 10-20 kg body weight over a period of 6 months after placement of the gastric balloon.
There are several types of intragastric balloons that we use. There is a balloon that can be simply swallowed by the patient in the doctor’s clinic without the need for any endoscopy. This balloon, known as Elipse, self dissolves after about 4 months and passes out.
Then there are standard balloons that are placed endoscopically and need to be removed after 6-9 months. Amongst these there is another balloon called Spatz, that can be readjusted, such that after a few months of placement, its size can be increased by filling in more fluid. This enhances weight loss to a certain extent.
Intragastric balloon is a simple procedure with very few side effects. Balloon placement procedure takes about 15 minutes and is done under sedation. Patients can go home same day after a 4-hour observation period. The most common side effect is abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting that occurs in the first few days after balloon placement. Patients must however understand that intragastric balloon is also a temporary weight loss measure. There is tendency to regain weight once the balloon is removed. And therefore, patients need an overall lifestyle modification in terms of diet and regular physical activity to maintain weight loss achieved with an intragastric balloon.