The clinic / Technology

Ingestible gastric balloons – excretables

Intragastric balloons are a good tool for the treatment of obesity, in patients with a considerable degree of obesity, 15-25 kg more, but who do not yet need an obesity operation.

The ingestable and excretable balloon is a new balloon which, thanks to its avant-garde materials, has been miniaturized into a capsule that the patient can swallow. It has a valve with programmed obsolescence, which once undoes, the balloon is emptied and expelled by feces. It has a durability of approximately 4 months.

Types of gastric balloons

Gastric balloon ingestable and excretable Allurion (duration 4 months)

It is implanted without endoscopy or sedation, in 10 minutes, in a simple way, only with radiological control. A simple capsule is swallowed with small sips of water.

The size is less than a “snack of a sandwich”. The capsule contains the balloon and a tube to fill it.

Once in the stomach (radiological control by a medical expert), it is filled with physiological serum from 400 to 500 cc. The balloon contains a valve that is undone by the action of the acid, until it opens about 16 weeks. During this period, control abdominal ultrasounds are performed.

At 16 weeks, it is emptied and expelled spontaneously through faeces. Patients treated with Gastric Balloon lose about 12 to 15 kg of weight.

Endoscopic Gastric Balloon (duration 6 or 12 months)

The endoscopic balloon is made of silicone, and is implanted inside the stomach by endoscopy. It is performed with sedation, without causing any discomfort to the patient, and in about 15 minutes, without the need for hospitalization or care.

They last between 6 and 12 months depending on the type of balloon, and may allow patients to lose more weight, although in general, after 5 months very little weight is lost.

After that time, they are also removed by endoscopy and sedation. Intragastric balloons are a good tool for the treatment of obesity in patients who do not need an obesity operation yet.

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