Gastric Balloon Weight Loss: A Close Look For Interested Patients
Posted on: 28 December 2016
Advancements in medical technology have brought about major changes in opportunities for people who want to lose weight, but many of them do involve surgery of some form. However, there are a few opportunities not requiring surgery that can be just as effective. One of the more recent non-surgical weight loss solutions is the gastric-balloon weight-loss procedure. If you are looking to lose weight but don't want to go with a surgical procedure that involves a long recovery time, this is a good option to check into. Here are a few of the most common questions about gastric weight-loss balloons.
What exactly is a gastric weight-loss balloon?
A gastric weight-loss balloon is a weight-loss device that goes into the stomach and is then inflated or filled with a natural saline solution. Once the balloon has been expanded, it prevents you from feeling hungry because it takes up space in your stomach, but also helps prevent you from eating too much because your stomach simply will not have enough room to house extra food beyond small portion sizes. The procedure is fairly simple, recovery time is not long, and effects can often be noticed in a short time frame by patients.
How do they get the balloon into your stomach without surgery?
To place the gastric balloon in your stomach, you will be mildly sedated in a hospital setting to help you relax during the procedure. The surgeon will push the deflated balloon through your mouth, to the stomach, using a tiny tube. Once the balloon is in place in your stomach, it will be inflated with a saline solution and sealed shut, and the tube used for insertion and placement will be removed.
Is the procedure difficult to recover from once it is over?
One of the greatest advantages of this procedure is the fact that recovery is minimal because there are no incisions and no surgical issues to be concerned about. Most of the time, patients get to go home within the same day after the balloon is placed in their stomach as long as no complications come up. You may feel a bit of mild discomfort, nausea, and gastrointestinal upset as your body adjusts to there being something foreign in the stomach, but your doctor will give you medications to help deter these effects. You should be able to get back to your normal routine pretty quickly after the procedure.
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