It is one of the surgical procedures for weight loss that involves placing a small gastric balloon into the stomach to limit your food intake by making you feel fuller more quickly after eating a small meal.
Brief description of the procedure:
The gastric balloon is placed into the stomach through the mouth and food pipe (oesophagus). You will be given sedation (light anaesthetic) drugs during the procedure. A thin flexible camera is passed into your stomach (endoscopy) to check the inside of your stomach is healthy and suitable for the placement of the gastric balloon. The camera is then removed, and you will swallow the rolled-up balloon at the end of a catheter or small tube. This is the same size as the camera and is no more difficult to swallow. The flexible camera is then reintroduced, and the balloon is inflated under direct vision with saline and a blue dye.
The whole process takes about half an hour, and you will be able to go home the same day.
Risk of complications following gastric balloon procedure:
- Bleeding or damage to the oesophagus or stomach during balloon insertion or removal
- Chest infection due to acidic fluid reflux to enter the lungs during balloon insertion or removal (though very rare).
- Rupture of the balloon
- Bowel obstruction or perforation
- Spontaneous hyperinflation of the balloon due to bacterial growth in the fluid inside the balloon.
- Acute pancreatitis if balloon injures the pancreas
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