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Gastric Balloon: How Is It Placed in the Stomach?
While empty, the gastric balloon is inserted into your stomach orally through a thin tube called an endoscope.

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What is a Gastric Balloon?
It is a malleable silicone balloon placed in the stomach endoscopically and that partially fills the gastric cavity, which can help control hunger and reduce the amount of food you normally eat.
However, it is important that the patient knows how to use the gastric balloon in his favor, and you will find out why.
The gastric balloon can act as a springboard, a “little push” when you’ve tried to exercise or follow a long-term diet and have not lost any weight, or lost very little when compared to what you would need to eliminate to get rid of obesity.
However, it only stays in your stomach for 6 months and in some cases 12 months. Then it is removed. For this reason, experts recommend combining the gastric balloon with other effective tools so that you can keep your body slim after the withdrawal.
How Is It Placed in the Stomach?
While empty, the gastric balloon is inserted into your stomach orally through a thin tube called an endoscope.
It is flexible to pass through the esophagus and reach the stomach with a microcamera through which the doctor watches the entire procedure on video.
The patient is given a mild sedative or “light” anesthetic because the balloon placement is usually painless. It takes an average of 5 minutes and the patient returns home the same day.
Normally, after the period defined by the professional (about six to twelve months), the gastric balloon is deflated and removed, avoiding the risk of complications due to the presence of the device.
What are the Advantages of the Gastric Balloon?
We can say that the amount of weight lost is usually proportional to your willingness to really lose weight, changing eating habits and physical activity.
So, if you have a genetic tendency to gain a lot of weight, or obese in the family, for example, the gastric balloon will not solve your problem for the rest of your life.
Some research shows that with the Gastric Balloon, about 10-15% of body weight is eliminated while the component is in the stomach.
Understand the Benefits, but… watch Your Mind!
A relevant detail is that, when the gastric balloon is combined with behavioral therapy (psychological monitoring specialized in “emotional hunger”), the advantage can greatly increase.
To give you an idea, in an American clinical study, 255 adults with BMI (Body Mass Index) between 30 and 40 were divided into 02 distinct groups:
- Those who adhered to therapy + gastric balloon lost almost 30% of excess weight;
- In comparison, the other group of patients without the gastric balloon managed to eliminate 14% of their body weight by undergoing the therapy alone.
This confirms that losing weight and staying slim is highly dependent on frequent monitoring of the mind to maintain long-term success, regardless of the best method indicated for your treatment. In other words, “watchman”!
After all, is the Gastric Balloon Worth It?
Now, you may be wondering if gastric balloon placement is really worth it.
As you learned, it brings more satiety than usual, indicating that you can eat less.
Occupying a part of the stomach, the gastric emptying time becomes altered after each meal and the hormone levels that control your appetite also have their concentrations altered.
Am I a Candidate for Intragastric Balloon Use?
It is a consensus that the main and unquestionable indication for the use of intra-gastric balloon is super-obese patients (BMI > 50), in whom considerable preoperative weight loss is appreciable, aiming at reducing anesthetic and surgical risk.
On the other hand, it also happens that patients undergoing gastric balloon placement do not lose the intended significant amount of weight.
There are still numerous records and reports of patients who are temporarily successful, that is, after removing the accessory, they gain weight again.
Temporary Success
Even so, it is clear that the gastric balloon is an alternative for those who have serious restrictions, health impediments or fear about bariatric surgery, a surgical intervention much more promising in the long term.
However, even if you lose weight a lot with the use of the Gastric Balloon, without the proper commitment to change your lifestyle, the pounds should return very soon, you can bet!
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