The Orbera Balloon is a device that is temporarily implanted in the stomach to help people lose weight. A saline filled balloon the size of a grapefruit is placed for 6 months with the aid of an endoscope. Patients whose BMI (body mass index) is between 30 and 40 are eligible.
The balloon is designed to make people feel full while eating smaller portions during a meal. In order for people to lose weight successfully, the balloon must be used in conjunction with a proper diet, exercise and behavior modification program, so individuals adopt better eating habits that will allow them to both lose and keep the weight off in the long term. In a study of 255 patients receiving the Orbera Balloon, the average weight loss was 21.8 lbs (10.2% of their body weight).
ORBERA is a gastric balloon which is inserted orally through your esophagus and placed directly into your stomach during a quick, non-surgical procedure. A syringe is then used to fill the balloon with a sterile saline solution. Once the weight loss balloon has been filled with saline it is about the size of a grapefruit. The entire procedure takes about 20-30 minutes. Since the weight loss balloon is inserted through your throat and into your stomach there is no need for any incisions, stitches or scars.
The ORBERA weight loss balloon stays in your stomach for the first six months after the procedure. While it is temporarily in your stomach it encourages your body to adapt to healthier portion sizes. The shape and volume of the stomach balloon takes up enough space in your stomach to help you adapt to healthier portion sizes. The technology and design of the balloon helps patients lose up to 3x the weight of diet and exercise alone.
It is very important to use this time to develop healthy habits that will continue for not only the 12-month weight loss program, but for the rest of your life. During the first six months you will learn how to use your ORBERA as a tool to aid in your weight loss. Having open and constant communication with your support team is crucial to maximizing the benefits of the ORBERA weight loss system.
Once the stomach balloon has been in place for six months the balloon is removed. The simple and non-surgical procedure is very similar to the placement process.
Aside from nausea and vomiting, other adverse effects include abdominal or back pain or acid reflux. There have been rare reports of balloon leakage, in which case patients will no longer experience feeling as full quickly after a meal. More serious complications can include a partial or complete blockage of the bowel by the balloon, bacterial growth in the balloon leading to an infection, injury to the lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, and duodenum).
