What Is The Gastric Balloon? What Is The Ingestibla Gastric Balloon?

Gastric balloon (stomach balloon) is a method used other than surgery for the treatment of obesity which is accepted as a disease of our age.

A stomach balloon, thy name of is a gastric balloon, is a distensible medical tool that placed in the stomach temporarily.

An air or physiological saline solution is injected into the silicone balloon which is placed to the stomach when the patient sleeps during the normal endoscopy.

Inflated balloon occupies 500-800 cc area on average. This operation is a safe method applied temporarily to the patient and it is preferred often nowadays.

With the impact of the gastric balloon, a reduction in eating frequency and portions is seen. The main purpose of the stomach balloon is to reduce the volume of the stomach by taking place in it and creating a feeling of satiety.

The gastric balloon placed in a stomach with an endoscopic method under anaesthesia. The balloon placed into the stomach is inflated in a manner that takes space of 500-800 cc through sending air or physicological saline solution to inside. By this means the operation is completed. This method that does not require surgery, takes 15-30 minutes.

After the patients awake, he/she kept under observation for a length of time and sent home on the same day. The gastric balloon is removed after it stays 6 months-1 years in the stomach. In this period, the patients achieve the aimed weight as long as they obey the suggestions given by the doctor.

There are numerous advantages of the stomach balloon which is applied nowadays often. These are:

• The patients can be discharged from the hospital in a short time since no
• surgical operation is performed.
• The patients can adapt their living standards in a short time after the operation.
• The operation can be applied in a short time like 15-30 minutes.
• Also, gastric balloon operation is a reversible method.
• In case of an unexpected situation, the balloon can be deactivated easily.
• No changes are done in the working of any digestive system organ including the stomach in this application.
• This is the fastest method to get rid of the excess weight as long as obeying the suggestions of the doctor.
• The cost is more affordable compared with the other operations.
• It can be applied again when the aimed weight is not achieved after the first application.
• The biggest reason to prefer it is that the stomach can return to its old situation after the balloon is removed from the stomach.
• During the application process, 9-15 kilo weight is lost. After the balloon is removed from the stomach, losing weight continues by adapting the given diet lists and changing eating habit.

The gastric balloon which is applied in the treatment of obesity carries some risks as in every treatment method. So, physical examination should be done on patients before the treatment.

Generally, it can be applied to patients with a body mass index above 27. However, the groups of patients to whom gastric balloon can be applied are as follows:

• The groups that obesity surgery is risky
• Type 2 diabetes patients
• Individuals who afraid of the surgical method
• Individuals with body mass index between 27-40.

In addition to all of these, there are individuals to whom gastric balloon should not be applied. These groups are:

• The patients who use alcohol
• Those who had laparoscopic obesity surgery previously
• Those who have stomach problem (ulcer, gastritis, reflux etc.)
• Those whose psychological state is not suitable
• Drug users,

Gastric balloon application is a temporary treatment option. So, it is very important to remove the balloon from the stomach on the stated date.

Keeping the gastric balloon in the stomach for more than 6 months can be detrimental for both patient and the stomach functions.

Even though it does not pose risk as surgery, it is risky potentially.

The side effects after set the gastric balloon is almost nonexistent. However, side effects may be seen in some persons.

Reflux, ulcer, nauseating, vomiting, gastric bleeding, blockage and perforation exist among these side effects that are seen after the operation.

There is no kilo limit for gastric balloon application but the body mass index of the persons is pretty important in this operation.

Generally, it is applied for those with a body mass index between 27-40.

Before the operation is performed, one of the most suitable 4 gastric balloons is selected as a result of the examinations on a patient by a team of experts. The types of these gastric balloons are as follows:

• Inflated with air
• Inflated with liquid
• Balloons made with silicone adjustable material
• Intragastric balloons

The balloons inflated with air are made from silicone and it is filled with 500-700 cc air. Among the reasons to prefer this method, after inflating the balloon reaches 30 gram and patients feel less nausea are exist.

The most used gastric balloon in the world and our country is the one that can be filled with liquid. In the silicone textured balloon, a physiological saline solution is filled.

The biggest advantage of using this type is to find out whether there is a leakage or not after the operation is easy due to the liquid is colourful. Even though there is a leak since the applied liquid is a serum it has no harm. It takes more place with its 850-900 cc inflation capacity and this provides losing weight faster.

The biggest factor to prefer these balloons that are completely silicone is that a piece named an anchor is placed with a balloon into the stomach. This piece prevents the balloon to get into the small bowel even it wane. So it is called a safe system. Using an intragastric balloon is not made in our country but it is used in some countries to try.

It is considered that it will be the most used method in the future years. Ingesting a suitable dose of stomach balloon capsule in 4-5 minutes is requested according to the natüre of the patient.

It is applied by ingesting the capsule medicine that is obtained by bicarbonate dust with its special structure. When this medicine reacts with citric acid in the stomach, a 300 cc balloon is created.

The operations that are made with this method is completed in 30 days when the capsule melt. It may be repeated regularly according to the condition of the patient.

This treatment which is applied through the endoscopy method under general anaesthesia takes approximately 15-30 minutes.

After the patient awake, he/she kept under observation for 2-3 hours and then can be discharged from the hospital.

After the gastric balloon operation, pain may be seen due to vomiting or stomach stress for a few days.

In this case, using a painkiller or anti-nausea pill is not pose a problem.

Elipse gastric balloon is a stomach balloon that is ingestible and can be naturally expelled from the body. It can be swallowed with the help of a catheter.

After the swallow, the location of the balloon is controlled and inflated by a doctor. Then the catheter slowly removed and this process takes 20 minutes. The balloon stays in the stomach for approximately 4 months.

Thanks to regulating the nourishing through the Elipse balloon method, patients can lose 10-20 kilo weight. In the next 1-2 days after placing the balloon, the patient can return to normal life.

Some persons can experience nausea, vomiting or stomach cramps in the first days. This is a temporary process. After the balloon is completely empty, it can be eliminated from the body in natural ways.

After the Elipse ingestible balloon operation, the desire to overeat disappears. Experiencing complications situation is faced rare in this operation.