The intragastric balloon or gastric balloon (BIG) is a method for treating obesity, non-surgical and pharmacological, which produces a weight loss of 15-20 pounds in just 6 months, and is intended to any type of obesity.

The procedure is simple and involves the introduction of a ball or empty silicone balloon in the stomach which is then filled with about 500 CC of saline. The intragastric balloon, balloon intragastric or gastric balloon inserted through the mouth, with camera endoscopy under sedation (not anesthesia) and painless. The process takes about 15 minutes and the patient returns to his home shortly after. The intragastric balloon when silicone (an inert compound) did not produce any type of adverse reaction in the gastric environment.

The intragastric balloon remain a maximum of 6 months in the stomach and the removal thereof shall be effected in a manner similar to the introduction.

After about 2 or 3 days, the stomach adapts to intragastric balloon. The great advantage of this method is that the disappearance of hunger is caused by a decrease gastric volume and therefore the amount of intake, so the patient will lose weight effortlessly. There are no specific contraindications type of food can be eaten.

A team consisting of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists and trainers make thorough checks on the patient during treatment. In addition, control over the process will be re-educate the obese patient in their physical and nutritional habits. This learning will help the individual to maintain or, even, stick to weight loss, after removing the intragastric balloon. After treatment control will remain a newspaper.

Candidates are generally all except obese people presenting psychiatric problems or peptic ulcer disease. Obese is defined as one whose BMI is over 30. In the section "obesity" of this website automatically find the formula for you to figure your BMI.

Treatment with intragastric balloon or gastric balloon is already being applied successfully in clinical treatment of obesity in other countries like England, Belgium and Holland. The result in all patients is a significant weight loss. Clinical experience shows that two thirds of treated individuals keep the weight off during treatment with intragastric balloon, or continue to lose weight after the extraction of the ball. These results are superior to the expectations of any other treatment of obesity, including surgical.

CAN APPLY IN ANY CASE OF OVERWEIGHT?
The indiscriminate application intragastric balloon is not recommended, as it involves certain risks. It is only advisable if there is a repetitive failure with dietary treatments, pharmacological, and behavior modification. In this situation, the intragastric balloon can help break the vicious circle that is created when, unable to maintain a continuous regimen, hunger drives him to eat again in excess, and progressively rehabitua to inadequate nutrition.

WHAT PROBLEMS CAN CAUSE THE BALL INTRAGASTRIC?
The application of an intragastric balloon is a delicate technique.

Must know well the risks and problems that can lead to:

a) Problems in the insertion or removal, esophageal or gastric lesions.

b) Discomfort by the presence of intragastric balloon in the first days after its introduction, characterized by stomach pain, nausea and often vomiting. Therapeutic protocol will be applied to minimize this discomfort.

c) Over time, the intragastric balloon can be deflated, so it is so important that it remains more than 6 months (3 months if previous operations in the abdomen). Symptoms may include first appearance of blue-colored urine, and exceptionally abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, if the intragastric balloon ocluyendolo pass into the intestine. In this case, probably would have surgery to remove the gastric balloon.

d) They may occur gastritis or stomach ulcer, why are systematically prescribed proton pump inhibitors.

HOW DOES THE BALL INTRAGASTRIC LOSE WEIGHT?
The success of the intragastric balloon technique will depend, at least 50% of the diet to follow and tolerates the procedure, in the months after insertion.

The goal stands to lose about 10% of its weight in 6 months. As a result, is shown a decline in global risks to health posed by obesity, especially hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. If you want to lose more weight will be less hard to tolerate a hypocaloric diet. In principle, we recommend 800-1000 calories during the first month to about 1200 cal continue thereafter.

With the intragastric balloon, will feel less hungry, and when you eat, you'll quickly satiated. You must therefore learn to know when you are about to be sated, and stop eating. Otherwise, your stomach will suffer a progressive alignment with receiving capacity expansion, which partly invalidate the benefit of the presence of intragastric balloon.

Also, it's not just about what you eat but how you eat. You should eat slowly and chew food well, for what is essential to enjoy good teeth. It will be mandatory review, after applying the intragastric balloon for possible corrections.

Ensuring success requires close collaboration between the patient of obesity and its medical team. As a result, we designed a rigorous schedule of visits and activities, please follow faithfully the other hand you have a contact number for us to partner in every moment of their problems and concerns.

WHAT STEPS HAVE TO GIVE TO THE INTRODUCTION AND REMOVAL intragastric balloon?
The plan to follow from now on is as follows:

a) First, the patient of obesity must go to our psychologist, to help you decipher their eating disorders, and will support you in control of diet to be carried to ensure that after removing the intragastric balloon, its habits have changed enough to suffer no further increases in weights. Our psychologist will issue a report.

b) We require an analytical baseline, including hormonal balance if it does not already done, and an EKG.

c) With these data, the obese patient will return to the query, and we will set the date, time and venue.

d) Prior to the procedure, will be visited by our anesthesiologist, who is responsible for the study is relevant for the insertion procedure. We will review the analytical and the electrocardiogram and explain the usual procedure.

e) Following the introduction of the intragastric balloon in endoscopy room-and-monitored, will be a few hours under observation, and only rarely spend the night entered. For a few days will be normal nausea stomach pain and vomiting. This is the natural reaction to the presence of a foreign body in the stomach. They are also frequent constipation and bloating, which can be treated. Have a phone number for that 24 hours a day, you can call with any questions.

f) You will be cited in the consultation to follow on a weekly basis during the first month and monthly for 6 months in bearing the intragastric balloon. Should monitor urine color, contact us if you see blue, signal intragastric balloon deflation. You should also inform us of a recurrence of stomach pain, especially fasting, and the emission of black-colored stools always who is not taking iron therapy.

g) Prior to the removal of the intragastric balloon, never beyond 6 months, you will have analytical control, and he will cite to the extraction procedure of intragastric balloon.

h) Since then, will be essential to maintain good habits to stabilize and eventually improve weight loss.