Intragastric Balloon

Intragastric balloon is a silicone balloon that is inflated to a volume of 400-700 cc with air or liquid after being placed in the stomach. It is a temporary weight loss method applied endoscopically in patients who cannot lose weight with diet and exercise, in those who do not want to undergo surgery, and in high-risk patients for surgery.

Eating is stopped 12 hours before the procedure and fluid intake is stopped 6 hours before. It is extremely important to comply with this, as nausea may occur after the balloon is inflated. It can be placed into the stomach through the esophagus within 15-20 minutes using the endoscopy method. People return to their normal lives approximately 4 hours after the procedure.

Gastric balloon application is based on the principle of restricting food intake and makes it easier to reduce portion sizes and frequencies during this period. Thus, satiety is felt in smaller amounts. Most patients can lose 10-30% of their total body weight, depending on their starting weight.