A Gastric balloon is a non-surgical device that is used to help aid weight loss. Along with healthy eating and regular exercise the balloon can help you lose weight. Losing weight can often be difficult without help so the balloon is a useful tool that can help make that process a little easier.
A gastric balloon is soft and inflatable and is placed into the stomach. It is then inflated by filling it with a sterile, saline solution. This causes it to expand and fill up some of the space in the stomach leaving less room for food.
This means you eat smaller portions therefore resulting in weight loss. Once full the balloon is full it is too large to pass into your small intestine so will stay in the stomach helping you to lose weight for as long as it is in situ.
The balloon is a temporary weight loss solution – most balloons last for 6 months or 12 months due to the stomach acid weakening the balloon so they deflate and are no longer effective. Some balloons need to be removed and others just disintegrate and dissolve away on their own.
The balloon fills a fair amount of the stomach helping you feel full and eat smaller portions.
