Balloon surgery for weight loss

Methods of weight loss

There are various methods for the weight loss, ranging from the classical approach which means going on some sort of diet, to the more radical approaches that involve surgical procedures. One would immediately think of the liposuction, but that is the method that deals with the consequence, but does little to affect the cause. As the cause of being overweight is eating too much, various surgical methods that can deal with overeating has been devised. These are typically minimally invasive as nobody wants a battle scar as a reminder of the procedure. One of the procedures that is almost noninvasive is the gastric balloonsurgery.

What is a gastric balloon?

It is basically a sac, made of tissue-friendly silicone, that is inserted into your stomach and then filled with saline. It occupies a significant portion of space in your stomach, making you feel full all the time, thus reducing the urge to eat, and leaving less space for food, and thus no space for excess food, which is what makes us fat.

The procedure

It is basically an outpatient procedure, insertion itself typically lasts no more than one half of an hour and you can go home on the same day. Insertion of the (empty) balloon is done through the esophagus and there are no scars at all. Once in the stomach, the balloon is filled with a sterile saline.

After the procedure

Your stomach will need to adapt to that thing inside it, so for the first week, you will be on a liquid diet, and after that, the dietician should provide you with a diet plan, by which you can begin to eat solid foods. This diet program will be designed according to your needs and you should stick to it if you do not want to go through this for nothing. The balloon will stay in place for six months, and during this time you should make permanent changes in your lifestyle and diet. A team of specialists will monitor your case and provide you with advices related to your transition to a different lifestyle. The balloon itself serves only as a jump-start mechanism and makes the pounds go away faster.

Advantages anddisadvantages

Primary advantage of this procedure is that there is a reduced feeling of hunger, which is the primary cause of overeating. Weight loss is dramatic, as you might expect to lose 15-20 kilo while the balloon is in place. However, side effects are also possible, and you might go through periods of nausea, cramping and vomiting in the first three weeks after the procedure.