Initial Japanese experience with intragastric balloon placement.
BACKGROUND
We introduced intragastric balloon placement in Japan and evaluated the initial data.


METHODS
Between December 2004 and March 2008, intragastric balloons [BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) system] were placed in 21 Japanese patients with obesity [six women, 15 men; mean age 40+/-9 years; mean body mass index (BMI) 40+/-9 kg/m2]. The inclusion criteria were morbid obesity (BMI>or=35 kg/m2), the presence of obesity-related disorders, and failure with conventional treatments for at least 6 months. The balloon was routinely removed under endoscopy after 5 months.


RESULTS
No serious complications occurred, but in two of the 21 patients (9.5%), early removal (within 1 week) of the balloon was required due to continuous abdominal discomfort. Two other patients (9.5%) could not control their eating behavior and were considered unresponsive to the treatment, and their balloons were also removed before 5 months. Seventeen of the 21 patients (81%) finished the treatment, and the average weight loss and percent excess weight loss (%EWL) at the time the balloons were removed were 12+/-5 kg and 27+/-9%, respectively. Eight patients were followed for 1 year without intervention of consecutive bariatric surgery, and at that time, four of these patients had kept more than 20% of %EWL. The other patients regained their weight in the first year.


CONCLUSIONS
Intragastric balloon placement is a safe and effective procedure in obese Japanese patients, and about half of the patients will maintain their weight loss after the balloon is removed.
Ohta
Masayuki
M
Department of Surgery I, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Oita, 879-5593, Japan. ohta@med.oita-u.ac.jp
Kitano
Seigo
S
Kai
Seiichiro
S
Shiromizu
Akio
A
Eguchi
Hidetoshi
H
Endo
Yuichi
Y
Masaki
Takayuki
T
Kakuma
Tetsuya
T
Yoshimatsu
Hironobu
H
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015905:Gastric Balloon; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult