Intragastric balloon is the most suitable weight loss procedure that can be performed without surgical risks. A gastric balloon is a balloon-shaped medical implant made of a silicone material. It is used to create a volume to mechanically create a feeling of fullness in the stomach and a feeling of satiety.

Patient Selection

Patients should be selected from;

• Those with a Body Mass Index (BMI = body weight in kg/square of height in meter) between 30 and 40
• Those who could not lose weight with diet, exercise and medication
• Those who have been obese in the last 5 years
• Those who need to reduce the excess weigh in order to reduce the surgical risks before bariatric surgery
• Those who do not have a medical obstacle. It should not be performed only for the purpose of making the patient to looking more beautiful.

Non-eligible individuals

Individuals who are not suitable candidates for this procedure include;

• Those who have ulcers (wounds) in the esophagus, stomach or duodenum
• Those who have undergone bariatric surgery
• Those under 16 years of age and over 60 years of age
• Those with psychiatric disorders
• Those addicted to alcohol and drugs
• Those with inflammatory bowel disease
• Those who use blood thinners

Practice:
The procedure is performed endoscopically (gastroscopically) when the patient is conscious in a state of light sleep called sedation, in a quite simple way that takes 10 to 15 minutes with no need for general anesthesia. A fasting period of 10 to 12 hours is required before the procedure. First, the esophagus and stomach are gastroscopically examined to see if there is an obstacle to the procedure. The patient can return home after a postoperative observation of 1 to 2 hours.

How much weight can be lost
The Intragastric balloon placement alone will not be enough, and it will also be necessary to implement an eating discipline and a new standard of living. It is possible to lose 15 to 30 kilos on average in 6 months. Restriction of caloric intake is recommended after the procedure. Since much food cannot be eaten as a result of the procedure, this restriction is implemented much more easily. The weight planned to be lost is half the difference between the current body weight and ideal weight, that is, 50 percent of the excess weight. In other words, if the current weight of a person is 105 kg while his/her ideal body weight is 65 kg, the weight planned to be lost is 20 kg. The new gastric balloons can be left in the stomach for a period of 12 months and since they are adjustable, inadaptability problems can be solved in the initial period. After the gastric balloon is removed at the end of the 12th months after its placement, the weight lost can be regained if the nutrition and lifestyle are not paid attention to.

Side effects
It has almost no side effects.
Nausea, vomiting and cramps may occur in the first 2 to 3 days after the placement of the balloon. However, these complaints decrease and disappear at the end of the first week.
When the balloon gets punctured, it is excreted from the body with feces, causing a small intestinal obstruction that requires surgical intervention, but this is less common with the new generation of balloons.

After the 2nd week, -light foods are recommended for the first month.

• You need to eat very slowly. Make a habit of leaving your cutlery on the plate while chewing each bite of food.
• When you start on solid foods, it is of great importance to take very small bites of food and chew each of them very well.
• Do not consume fluids during meals, but do not forget to drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. Wait at least 1 hour before consuming liquid after the meals. You should definitely stay away from carbonated drinks.
• Avoid coffee, hot chocolate and sweet drinks, even if they are dietary products.
• Do not consume deli products, mayonnaise and other similar high calorie sauces.
• Consume skimmed milk and skimmed versions of all dairy products.
• You can eat fresh seasonal fruits instead of desserts.
• Prefer using soy sauce and vinegar for salads. Do not use sauces containing salt, oil, olive oil or mayonnaise.
• If you want to eat bread, prefer breads with lots of grains and fiber.
• If vomiting or nausea occurs, consume watery foods in at least three meals. Never overexert yourself if you vomit.
• Never lie down immediately after meals.
• Never eat anything between meals.
• Do not eat while watching TV, working or when you are engaged in any other thing.

Patients who have undergone an intragastric balloon placement operation can eat normal foods instead of special liquids and packaged diets.
Intragastric balloon placement, which is an easy and safe procedure among controlled weight loss procedures, is also safely performed in our hospital. Intragastric balloon placement is performed endoscopically.