title: Intragastric balloon: another option for treatment of obesity and morbid obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The BioEnterics Intragrastric Balloon (BIB, BioEnterics, Santa Barbara, CA) in association with restricted diet has been used for the treatment of obesity and morbid obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Since March 1998, 349 BIB were placed in 303 obese and morbidly obese patients; 95 patients were male and 208 female; mean age was 41.5 years (19-70); mean weight was 118.8 Kg (67-229); mean BMI was 42 Kg/m2, % excess weight was 62.3% (4.6-216.3). The balloon was inserted and removed endoscopically under general anesthesia. Patients were given a balanced diet of 1000 Kcal/day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 4 months of balloon treatment, the mean weight loss was 13.9 Kg and the mean reduction in BMI was 4.8 Kg/m2. Weight loss was greater in male patients. Weight loss was accompanied by an improvement of the diseases associated with obesity, in particular diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The best indications for BIB were: morbidly obese (BMI >40) and super-obese patients (BMI >50) in preparation for bariatric operations; obese patients with BMI 35-40 with co-morbidity in preparation for bariatric surgery; obese patients with BMI 30-35 with a chronic disease otherwise unresolved; patients with BMI <30 only in a multidisciplinary approach.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche dell'Universita degli Studi di Milano-Divisione di Chirurgia, Istituto Clinico Sant'Ambrogio di Milano, Centro per la Farmacoterapia delle malattie nutrizionali e metaboliche, Italy. santo.bressani@unimi.it
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Doldi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Micheletto
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Perrini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rapetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000601:surgery; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005260:Female; D015905:Gastric Balloon; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*