The gastric balloon in Monterrey, Mexico is a non-surgical procedure that uses balloons to temporarily occupy space in the stomach. This triggers feelings of fullness so you eat less and can lose a substantial amount of weight with ease.
Gastric Balloon for Weight Loss
The gastric balloon procedure is a temporary treatment for obesity that helps you lose weight by reducing the volume of your stomach without surgery.
- The deflated balloon is placed in the stomach by a doctor using an endoscope to insert the balloon through the mouth.
- The balloon is filled with saltwater and can stay in the stomach for six months. It is then removed.
- By decreasing the stomach volume, a gastric balloon can help people with obesity feel full with less food and gradually lose weight.
Like other weight-loss procedures, a gastric balloon procedure requires commitment to a healthier lifestyle. You need to make permanent healthy changes to your diet and get regular exercise to help ensure the long-term success of the procedure.
What is a gastric balloon?
A gastric balloon is a soft, smooth, durable balloon made of silicone rubber. It is designed to be placed in the stomach to reduce its capacity and help you feel full with less food. The deflated balloon is inserted through the mouth and into the stomach by a doctor using an endoscope (a thin, flexible tube).
The balloon is then filled with saline solution (saltwater) to occupy space in the stomach, leaving less room for large amounts of food and drink. The idea is to help you feel full faster after eating smaller meals, and maintain that feeling of fullness longer so you are less hungry between meals.
Candidates for Stomach Balloon?
A gastric balloon procedure may be a weight loss option for some adults who:
- Have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 to 40 — BMI reflects the relationship between a person’s weight and height. A BMI of 30 or above is a sign of obesity. The procedure may be recommended for people with a BMI higher or lower than 30 to 40 in some circumstances.
- Have not been able to lose weight with diet, lifestyle modifications and medications
- Prefer a less invasive alternative to anatomy-changing bariatric surgery
If your doctor recommends losing weight before a planned surgery, such as joint replacement, or to assist with fertility, a gastric balloon can help you achieve the desired weight in a relatively short period of time.
The Gastric Balloon Procedure
The minimally invasive, outpatient procedure to insert the gastric balloon with an endoscope takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and is performed in an endoscopy center. To place the balloon in the stomach, Dr. Jesus Abraham Vega uses a flexible, narrow tube-like camera device, equipped with lights, that is called an endoscope.
You are sedated, so you are very sleepy and comfortable. Once you are under sedation, you lie on your side while the doctor performs the procedure.
- Dr. Jesus Abraham Vega inserts the endoscope into the mouth and carefully examines your esophagus, stomach and small bowel to ensure there is nothing that would make having a gastric balloon unsafe, such as a large hiatal hernia or stomach ulcer.
- If everything looks normal, a narrow tube called a catheter is inserted alongside the endoscope. The deflated balloon is attached to the end of the catheter.
- The endoscope guides the catheter through the esophagus and into the stomach.
- Once the balloon is in place, it is filled with saline through the catheter until the balloon is about the size of a grapefruit.
- Dr. Jesus Abraham Vega uses the endoscope to detach the catheter from the balloon, which seals itself with a valve.
- Dr. Jesus Abraham Vega withdraws the endoscope and catheter, leaving the filled balloon behind in the stomach.
Losing Weight with a Gastric Balloon
For the first two weeks after gastric balloon insertion, you will be on a liquid diet, followed by a gradual transition to regular food. Your health care team will provide guidelines regarding diet restrictions.
You are likely to lose weight quickly, especially in the first three to four months of living with the gastric balloon. Typically, people lose about 10 to 15% of their body weight by the time the six-month program is complete.
The gastric balloon may be one part of a comprehensive weight loss approach. Your doctor may also recommend additional dietician, behavioral or medical therapy to support healthy diet and exercise habits long-term and to help prevent you from gaining weight after the balloon is taken out.
Why Choose Monterrey Bariatric Center
At Monterrey Bariatric Center we provide concierge, individualized and tailored care to our patients, and one patient at a time. More importantly your surgery will be performed at an accredited facility, where the highest quality of care according to industry standards is guaranteed.
Dr. Jesus Abraham Vega has performed thousands of successful surgeries. Patients travel from across the United States of America and Canada to have their surgeries (whether initial or revision) at Monterrey Bariatric Center. Our satisfied patients and their success stories are testament to our difference.