Gastric Balloon, In addition to the surgical methods for treatment of obesity, there are many options for patients with weight problems. Among these options, the gastric balloon reduces the risks of surgery, especially for patients with morbid obesity. It is one of the most common non-surgical methods in the field of obesity in recent years. Therefore, the gastric balloon became a hope for obesity patients with excessive weight.
In recent years, non-surgical techniques for obesity treatment have very effective results. Gastric balloon technique, which is one of these methods, comes to the rescue of those with the obesity problem. However, experts state that you should be cautious after the operation.
The gastric balloon technique, which does not require surgery, provides an average weight loss of 20-25 kg. However, you should be careful about your diet after the removal of the balloon. Otherwise, weight gain is inevitable.
It does not require hospitalization. However, balloon therapy is not permanent. We remove the balloon after six months or one year after installation. You may gain weight again after the removing of the balloon.
Thanks to the volume it occupies in the stomach, it allows people to eat fewer portions and reach the ideal weight earlier than the standard diet. Our aim is to enable the person to choose portions that are high in nutritional value but low in calorie content, and turn this into a lifestyle to meet their daily needs. Since the gastric balloon stays in the stomach for a long time, such as 6-12 months, it becomes easier to acquire healthy and regular eating habits. In other words, you will have an excellent slimming effect.
Among the medical methods in the treatment of obesity, the procedures such as stomach clamp and stomach band were a great success. However, by the end of 2016, the gastric balloon becomes more preferred.
Hundreds of studies have proved that successful weight loss is possible with the gastric balloon. Thus, the new generation of gastric balloons produced has become an accepted treatment method throughout Europe.
Endoscopic intragastric balloon, or gastric balloon, is a valid and non-surgical method of obesity treatment that is used worldwide. In the treatment of obesity, endoscopic procedures are available as well as surgical procedures. Among them, the most common one is the gastric balloon application.
A gastric balloon is a silicone balloon that doctors place into the stomach by using endoscopy. Nowadays, general surgeons perform gastric balloon application in the fight against obesity.
There are a large number of gastric balloons on the market today. The two most important groups are those with serum or air. In general, the balloon can endure six months of stomach acid. As a result, all balloons act by creating a fulfilling effect in the stomach, creating a feeling of satiety. It also reduces the feeling of hunger with the Ghrelin hormone by delaying gastric emptying.
Our expert doctors place the gastric balloon in the stomach with the help of an illuminated camera called an endoscope. This device is about 0.8-12 mm thick and is flexible enough to pass through the oesophagus easily. The whole process takes about 10 minutes. You regain consciousness after the operation. After 1-2 hours of rest, you may leave the hospital. You will not feel discomfort in the postoperative process.
The balloon offers a temporary solution for obesity. It is highly beneficial for the patient as it significantly reduces the risks of other diseases associated with obesity. It is useful for losing weight and maintaining the current weight. The most significant benefit is that it gives sufficient time for the patient, such as six months, for acquiring a new diet.
The balloon should not remain in the stomach for more than six months. In such cases, silicon begins to deteriorate, and the extraction process, which is a highly sophisticated procedure, becomes more difficult. It is worth repeating; in unfamiliar hands, serious complications such as oesophagal or gastric perforation may occur during removal. In expert hands, these risks are close to zero.
In this new weight-loss method, patients swallow the capsule, and then the capsule swells inside the stomach to revive the feeling of fullness. Obalon, which is a gastric balloon pill, is the most effective non-invasive method compared with other methods requiring surgery. The capsule takes up to 15 minutes to swallow like pills and swell like balloons.
The Obalon balloon is suitable for patients with a body mass index of at least 59 pounds per square meter, and you should make changes in your eating habits and lifestyle during use. After swallowing the gastric balloon, the stomach remains bloated for 6 months. In this period, you may take two additional balloons depending on the needs and the process.
According to the research, this gastric balloon is much smaller and lighter than others. It contains nitrogen instead of salt, so it stays on your stomach.
Obesity, which causes many physiological and psychological problems, is the disease of our age, where Turkey and the medical world are constantly looking for problems. Fast-food consumption, insulin resistance, a sedentary life, and irregular nutrition pave the way for obesity. Although patients try many diets to get rid of obesity, sometimes factors such as insulin resistance and drug use can lead to weight loss resistance, and losing weight is beyond dreams.
For a healthy life, getting rid of excess weight is very important because obesity brings many problems from cancer to multiple organ problems. Patients who cannot reach their desired weight as a result of sports or diet often have a fear of surgery and things become more complicated as this psychological condition causes them to gain more weight. The gastric balloon is one of the applications that help to lose weight fast. Turkey is one of the countries where you can see the successful operations of the gastric balloon.
In Turkey, we apply the gastric balloon method in Istanbul, and patients leave the facility beyond satisfied. The technique has become the first choice of the patients as it is a non-surgical and effective one. On the other hand, gastric balloon in Turkey is a fast and practical method is one of the most preferred ways in the treatment of obesity.
First of all, you should know that the Ministry of Health prohibited to give prices for treatments like a gastric balloon on the Internet. However, to provide a piece of general information, there are too many factors affecting the gastric balloon costs as in the types of other obesity surgery. Since there are many and different quality gastric balloons in the market, prices are also variable.
The variables such as the competence of the surgeon, the hospital and the material determine the price. The gastric balloon technique may increase costs. On the other hand, we can state that it is more economical than bariatric surgery. In this type of operations, procedure success is more important than the economic aspect. Thus, we recommend you to bear this in mind.
This method allows an individual to lose 20-25% of their weight in six months. With the regular implementation of diet and exercise programs, you can lose up to 30-40 pounds. Weight loss and weight gain depend entirely on the individual’s motivation for a new lifestyle and his determination to change his eating habits. This means that you cannot lose weight even if the balloon is in your stomach. The patient should be willing and determined to change his eating habits and lifestyle.
The main mechanism of the balloon is to create a sense of saturation in the stomach and to limit food intake. Proper patient selection, appropriate dietetic and behavioural treatment are critical points in the success of the balloon. However, there is no guarantee that you can lose weight.
The balloon is most effective for the first 3-4 months. A decrease in appetite and discomfort in excess food intake are evident in this period. Strict compliance with the nutrition program is essential. Numerous studies in hundreds of patients in different countries such as Italy and the Netherlands have reported successful results.
The purpose of nutritional changes after gastric balloon administration is to facilitate the body’s adaptation to this new condition as long as the balloon remains in the stomach. Your diet and exercise program is there to help you with your stomach balloon on your way out. If you use this aid well and aim for a lifestyle change, you will achieve maximum benefit and achieve health success.
It is imperative to understand that this method is a non-surgical, low-risk and reproducible method that provides support for changing eating habits. It is not right to expect the whole effect from the balloon or to present the balloon as a great treat.
The maximum holding time of the balloon is six months. As in all medical operations, there are some risks of the gastric balloon.
The balloon includes Methylene blue to detect premature delivery of the balloon. A simple abdominal X-ray or ultrasound will suffice if the balloon is intact. Intestinal obstruction is very rare. It happens if the balloon descends. You can throw new generation balloons in usual ways. However, in very rare cases, bowel obstruction may develop.
Gastric balloon method is not appropriate for such patients;
In case you are one of those people indicated above, you better reconsider it. Furthermore, if you consult us, we can examine your case individually and determine it.
Global obesity has many causes, and poor portion control is one of those reasons. Obalon gastric balloon may not eradicate the global epidemic alone. Still, it can help the vast majority of those who are concerned about their health and overweight and obese people who have no other treatment.
People who try to feed unsavoury foods to lose weight and starve for weeks fail after a while, and after a few attempts, they give up completely and go back to their old eating habits. Contrary to popular belief, there are many genetic and biological factors underlying weight loss. First of all, the underlying cause of weight loss may be sugar or some other problem.
Gastric balloon weight loss will vary depending on the person’s current excess weight, metabolic rate, sex, age, hormonal diseases, adaptation to the diet and physical activity. On average, 20-30% of weight loss is possible. Increasing dietary compliance and physical activity will increase this rate.
According to clinical studies, after three months of treatment, the body fat ratio is reduced by 50.2%, total body weight by 8.3% and body mass index by 2.8 points. Long-term behavioural changes and lifestyle changes are essential for successful results. In other words, patients who want to lose weight with the gastric balloon method must strictly follow the advice of their doctor.
Restricting the amount of food you will consume daily with the gastric balloon will automatically reduce the amount of energy you need to take daily. It may affect your protein intake as long as you have a balloon in your stomach. You need to pay extra attention to protein consumption in order to maintain maximum fat loss, maintain muscle mass and prevent your body resistance during this period.
Like every technique and procedure, the gastric balloon has some specific periods before and after the operation.
Firstly, when you decide on a gastric balloon, you should talk to your doctor and have the necessary checks done. Therefore, you should choose the team that you set realistic goals and who is with you as you progress. In the post-application period, you should not forget that your nutritional follow-ups are very important for managing the adaptation process of the balloon to the stomach, healthy weight loss and changing your habits.
The first step of the gastric balloon procedure is the analysis of the body. If you have the necessary conditions, you can undergo surgery. Anaesthesia is the next step before the operation. Anesthesiologists apply the conscious sedation technique before the procedure. It ensures that the patient can fully sleep for 10-15 minutes without stopping breathing. So he can’t feel or remember anything during the process.
After the anaesthesia, a complete endoscopic examination is crucial for the operation. In other words, doctors examine the entire upper digestive system from the oesophagus to the duodenum. If there is not an indication of reflux, ulcers, severe gastritis or suspicious lesions in the stomach, they lower the balloon into the stomach.
Then the team fill the balloon with air or other substances such as physiological saline gradually by observing with the endoscope. The physiological saline is with an ink-coloured dye, which is methylene blue.
The purpose of this is to ensure that if the balloon has the slightest leakage, the patient will come to control by recognizing the colour in urine or large ablution. However, the procedure lasts approximately half an hour under normal circumstances.
Patients stay in the hospital for one day. Thanks to the newly developed balloons (Adjustable Gastric Balloon System), the balloon has the possibility of staying in the stomach for one year. After the extraction of the old balloon, if the patient wishes, s/he can get a new balloon after the analysis.
In the first two to three days of application, we recommend a completely or partially liquid diet. Foods such as soups, water, juices, milk, crushed bananas and potatoes are suitable. Important points at this stage are:
After the fourth day, you can gradually switch to solid food. Milk or yoghurt for breakfast, biscuits, pasta for lunch, boiled vegetables, boiled potatoes for dinner and steamed fish are suitable for the diet. At this stage, the transition to solid foods should be gradual. It is essential to keep in mind that strict adherence to dietary requirements is an absolute impact on success. You can see our recommendations for eating.
You may not be able to meet your daily intake of vitamins and minerals with the limitation of your diet. Vitamin-mineral supplement use is necessary in order to complete your deficiencies with your examinations.
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