Intragastric Balloon
The intragastric balloon is inserted into the stomach endoscopically. The procedure takes about 20 minutes.
Who is a candidate?
Patients with a BMI between 30 and 34 (or at least 10-15kg over ideal body weight) who are willing to follow a strict diet during the first 6 months after insertion, and to continue healthy eating habits even after the balloon is removed – otherwise any weight lost may be regained quickly.
During the first week you follow a liquid diet with plenty of fluids; after that you can begin a solid diet. For the first 6 months you should stay in close contact with your physician to monitor progress, and you will receive education on nutrition and the lifestyle changes needed for long-term success.
Surgical Weight Loss Options
According to clinical guidelines, patients are eligible for surgery if they have failed non-surgical weight loss attempts and have a BMI greater than 35 with a co-morbidity, or a BMI greater than 40 with or without co-morbidity. Our surgeon performs three main kinds of weight loss surgery: gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass.
Pre-Surgery Assessment
Certain basic tests are performed before surgery: complete blood count, urinalysis and glucose testing, thyroid and liver function tests, chest X-ray and ECG, gallbladder ultrasound, and where indicated, pulmonary function testing, echocardiogram or cardiology/psychiatric evaluation. Smokers should stop several weeks before surgery. Certain medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E, warfarin and other blood thinners) may need to be paused before surgery.
Typical hospital stay: 1-2 days for gastric banding, 3-7 days for gastric bypass.