There area a few gastric balloon systems used for weight loss in the United States. Â One to three balloons are placed inside the stomach and filled with either air or saline. Â These balloons sit inside your stomach for 6 months taking up space so there is less room for food. Â Therefore, you require less food to feel which helps with weight loss. Â At the 6 month mark, the balloons are removed. Â They cannot be left in longer for safety reasons.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Although using balloons for weight loss is a simple concept, and one that we've used, we found it to be a more of a temporary fix, rather than a long term solution to weight loss. Â In our practice, patients generally lost around 20-25 lbs. with help of balloons, proper diet and exercise. Â Once the balloons were removed, most of the patients gained their weight back.
SAFEÂ
-Less than 1% of adverse events were severe or serious in nature.
COST
- Insurances do not pay for the balloons, their insertion or their removal. Fees generally range from 8-12k
SUMMARY
We no longer offer gastric balloons for weight loss, as the temporary results didn't justify their usage.