A gastric balloon is a soft silicone balloon placed into the stomach endoscopically and filled with saline or air. It requires no incision, no stitches and no general anaesthesia. It is generally considered for patients with a body mass index between 27 and 35, for those who are not suitable for surgery, or for those who need to lose weight before an operation. The balloon stays in place for 6 or 12 months, during which an average of 15 to 25 kilograms is lost. The procedure is reversible.
Not everyone who wants to lose weight needs an operation. For patients whose body mass index has not reached the surgical threshold, who have not succeeded with diet alone, or who cannot undergo surgery for another reason, the gastric balloon offers a non-surgical intermediate step. This article gathers the questions most often asked by patients researching gastric balloons in Mersin.
What Is a Gastric Balloon and How Is It Fitted?
A gastric balloon is a soft silicone balloon that is passed down through the mouth in a folded state and inflated inside the stomach. The procedure is performed by endoscopy: no incision is made, no stitches are placed and the abdominal wall is not touched. Once in position, the balloon is filled with sterile saline or air to a volume of 400 to 700 millilitres.
The procedure is usually completed in 15 to 20 minutes under light sedation and the patient goes home the same day. The space the balloon occupies produces a sense of fullness with less food, and by slowing gastric emptying it also prolongs satiety.
Who Is It Suitable For, and Who Is It Not?
A gastric balloon generally comes into consideration in the following situations:
- Patients with a body mass index between 27 and 35, that is, below the surgical threshold
- Patients who are eligible for surgery but do not wish to have an operation
- Patients whose comorbidities make surgical risk high
- Patients with severe obesity who need to lose weight beforehand to reduce operative risk
It is not used in those who have had previous stomach surgery, who have an active gastric ulcer or a large hiatal hernia, who have alcohol or substance dependence, or during pregnancy. Suitability is determined after examination and endoscopic assessment.
How the Balloon Types Differ
- Six-month fluid-filled balloon: the most widely used type. It is placed endoscopically and removed endoscopically at the end of the sixth month.
- Twelve-month adjustable balloon: stays in the stomach longer. Its volume can be increased or decreased during the period, which offers flexibility for patients who struggle to tolerate it.
- Swallowable balloon: taken as a capsule and inflated without endoscopy, it empties on its own at the end of four months and passes naturally. Its weight-loss capacity is more limited than the others.
Which balloon is appropriate depends on the target weight, the patient's capacity to adapt and the anatomy of the stomach.
The First Days and Possible Side Effects
The first three to five days after placement are the hardest part of the process. Until the stomach adapts to the foreign body, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and reflux may occur. Medication given for this period brings the symptoms largely under control, and they usually ease markedly by the end of the first week.
Nutrition progresses in stages: liquids for the first few days, then puréed food, and after roughly two weeks normal food in small portions. In the rare event that symptoms do not settle, the balloon can be removed early, which is the principal advantage of a reversible method.
How Much Weight Is Lost?
An average loss of 15 to 25 kilograms is expected with a six-month balloon, though this figure varies considerably from person to person. The balloon is not a device that sheds weight by itself; it is a period of time bought in order to change eating habits. Where dietitian follow-up and regular physical activity are neglected, results fall markedly.
Once the balloon is removed the stomach returns to its former capacity. Whether the weight stays off at that point depends on how well the months with the balloon were used. For this reason a balloon should not be considered on its own, without nutritional follow-up planned both before and after.
Gastric Balloon or Surgery?
The two are not alternatives to one another but options for different groups of patients. The gastric balloon is reversible, creates no permanent change, and works only for as long as it remains in the stomach. Operations such as sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass are permanent and, because of their hormonal effects, produce far stronger and more durable weight loss.
In severe obesity, and where metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes are present, surgery comes to the fore. At borderline weights, a balloon may be a starting point that achieves results without an operation. The decision is made by weighing body mass index, comorbidities, previous weight-loss attempts and the patient's expectations together.
Experience in Endoscopic Weight-Loss Procedures
Alongside bariatric and metabolic surgery, Op. Dr. Ersan Semerci also regularly performs endoscopic weight-loss procedures. Non-surgical options such as the gastric balloon and gastric botox are considered for patients who have not yet reached the surgical threshold or who are not suitable candidates for an operation.
Judging which patient will genuinely benefit from these procedures requires a full command of bariatric surgery. Having performed more than 3,000 sleeve gastrectomy and bariatric surgery cases over his career, Dr. Semerci draws on that background to distinguish patients for whom a balloon alone will suffice from those who should be directed towards surgery. Endoscopic procedures such as gastroscopy and colonoscopy are also a regular part of his practice.
Op. Dr. Ersan Semerci has practised in Mersin since 2010 and currently works at Medicalpark Mersin Hospital. Balloon placement and the nutritional follow-up that goes with it are carried out at this hospital.
Op. Dr. Ersan Semerci has practised in Mersin since 2010 and currently works at Medicalpark Mersin Hospital. Consultations and operations in Gastric Balloon are carried out at this hospital. Patients travelling from Mersin and neighbouring provinces can book via WhatsApp.
Book on WhatsAppIs fitting a gastric balloon painful?
The procedure is performed under light sedation, so no pain is felt during placement. Discomfort arises mainly over the following few days, while the stomach adapts to the balloon.
Can the balloon burst inside the stomach?
A dye is placed inside the balloon, so in the rare event of a leak the urine turns a greenish blue. The balloon then needs to be removed without delay, which is why any change in urine colour should be reported to your doctor.
Is the weight regained after the balloon is removed?
If eating patterns return to what they were, some of the weight can be regained. Where portion control and regular meals have become established during the months with the balloon, the chance of maintaining the loss is markedly higher.
Is the gastric balloon covered by insurance?
In Turkey the gastric balloon generally falls outside state health insurance cover and is paid for by the patient. It is best to confirm the current position with the hospital.
Can a second balloon be fitted to the same person?
A new balloon may be placed some time after removal if assessment of the stomach is favourable. However, a repeated need for balloons is a situation that also calls for surgical options to be reconsidered.
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For Obesity and related symptoms you can book an appointment at Medicalpark Mersin Hospital. Mezitli / Mersin, Turkey, weekdays 09:00-17:00.
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