4 Things to Know about Intragastric Balloon Placement

Talking about weight loss procedures, you might be familiar with the intragastric balloon. This procedure involves a saline-filled silicone balloon that is placed in your stomach. The balloon in your stomach will limit your hunger while making you feel full faster.

This procedure should be on your list in case you are worried about your weight while exercise and diet didn’t work for you. Just like any other procedure to lose weight, this procedure requires your commitment to perform a healthier lifestyle.

1. Patients must commit to a healthier lifestyle

As we have mentioned earlier, intragastric balloon placement is done to lose weight. Maintaining an ideal body weight will help you to get rid of GERD, heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, liver disease, and type 2 diabetes to name a few.
However, the doctor will only recommend this method after every conventional thing you’ve done didn’t give any result. This option is recommended for those with a BMI between 30 and 40. If you take this method, you must perform a healthier lifestyle and attend behavioral therapy. You cannot perform this method if you have any surgery on your stomach or esophageal.

2. Potential risks

Just like any other surgeries or methods, this one also causes several risks. Pain and nausea could be the first things you feel after the placement. These symptoms, however, will go on their own after a few days. Call your doctor immediately if the discomfort lasts long.

Balloon deflation is a potential risk you may need to pay attention to. If the balloon gets deflated, it could move to the digestive system. If a blockage happened then you need to undergo another procedure to remove the balloon. Some other risks you need to consider before undergoing this procedure include acute pancreatitis, over-inflation, and perforation on the stomach wall.

3. What to expect

You will be sedated before the procedure is started. This must be done because the doctor will put down the balloon from your throat down to your stomach. It may take about a half-hour for the procedure to finish. Two hours later you can go home.

What you eat and drink before and after the procedure might be restricted. Even six hours after the procedure you can only swallow clear liquids. Your doctor will suggest what and when you can eat. Also, you will have a bunch of meetings with nutritionists and psychologists after the procedure.

4. Results

This method is supposed to make you eat less, but feels full faster. The balloon in your stomach slows down the process of emptying the stomach. Other than that, it changes the hormone level that is in charge of your appetite.

As we have mentioned earlier, you need to commit to a healthier lifestyle. This affects the result you will get. Besides helping you to lose weight, this procedure also resolves other conditions related to being overweight. Even though you have done intragastric balloon placement, make sure you also control what you eat and what you do with your life in general.