Gastric balloon to treat obesity: filled with air or fluid?
BACKGROUND
Our aim was to study the efficacy and safety of different types of intragastric balloon in morbidly obese patients.


METHODS
From 2005 to 2011, intragastric balloons were inserted endoscopically into 32 patients. Intragastric balloons were used in morbidly obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35 kg/m(2) ) individuals who were non-responsive to 6-month medical therapy and diet. Balloons were endoscopically removed after 6 months.


RESULTS
Thirty-six balloons were inserted in a total of 32 patients. Mean age of the patients was 37.28 ± 12.08 (17-64) years and mean height was 169.81 ± 8.17 (150-185) cm. Initial mean weight was 128.87 ± 23.31 kg and BMI was 45.26 ± 8.48 kg/m(2) . At month 6, mean bodyweight was 116.93 ± 23.18 and BMI was 40.96 ± 7.96 kg/m(2) (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). At the end of 6 months, while the excessweight loss (EWL) median was 13.0 kg, [interquartile range IQR: 5.0-16.0] and percent EWL median was 21.92, [IQR: 12.72-28.49] in the Heliosphere BAG patients, the EWL median was 19.0 kg, [IQR: 14.47-26.72] and the percent EWL median was 38.26, [IQR: 19.73-47.79] in the BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon patients (P = 0.006, P = 0.010, respectively for EWL median and percent EWL median). One patient died (3.1%) of cardiac arrest due to aspiration at day 13 after BIB placement.


CONCLUSIONS
Although not without risk, intragastric balloon placement is an effective method for weight loss. BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon is more effective in helping weight loss than the Heliosphere BAG balloon.
Gastroenterology Department, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. dr_erkan799@yahoo.com
Erkan
E
Caglar
Ahmet
A
Dobrucali
Kadir
K
Bal
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015905:Gastric Balloon / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D061214:Patient Safety; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014867:Water; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
D014867:Water
gastric balloon; obesity; weight loss