Gastric Balloon

A non-surgical procedure with an expandable balloon in the stomach that limits your food intake capacity.

Ready to learn more about weight-loss surgery and whether you might be a candidate?

Overview

Using the Orbera System, our physicians can offer a temporary tool that can help patients get their weight-loss journey on track. The gastric balloon stays in the stomach for six months, during which patients often feel less hungry or are full sooner. This allows patients time to adapt to new food routines and a healthier lifestyle.

The gastric balloon procedure is often used as a temporary tool for short-term weight loss that gives patients a boost that, combined with a lifestyle change, can achieve longer-lasting weight loss and health improvement.

Overview

Using the Orbera System, our physicians can offer a temporary tool that can help patients get their weight-loss journey on track. The gastric balloon stays in the stomach for six months, during which patients often feel less hungry or are full sooner. This allows patients time to adapt to new food routines and a healthier lifestyle.

The gastric balloon procedure is often used as a temporary tool for short-term weight loss that gives patients a boost that, combined with a lifestyle change, can achieve longer-lasting weight loss and health improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the gastric balloon work?

First, a diagnostic endoscopy is performed to ensure that the procedure is safe to perform on the patient. In an outpatient setting, patients are sedated as our physicians insert a soft, expandable balloon in the stomach through the mouth. The balloon is inflated to the size of a grapefruit with saline water. After six months, it is deflated and removed in a similar manner to which it was inserted.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the gastric balloon procedure?

Advantages

  • Non-surgical
  • Relatively short procedure
  • Less-invasive procedure
  • Minimal complications
  • Reversible

Disadvantages

  • Discomfort as body adjusts to balloon’s presence in stomach for six months
  • May not be available if you’ve had other weight-loss surgeries before
  • Lower percentage of weight loss compared to other procedures

How much weight will I lose with the gastric balloon?

Weight loss will be different for every person based on the procedure they had performed, as well as each person’s health, weight prior to the procedure, and how well each person adapts afterwards. The gastric balloon helps most people who are looking to lose about 20-50 pounds.

Am I a candidate for the gastric balloon?

To be eligible for gastric balloon, you must:

  • Be at least 13 years old
  • Have a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 and ≤40 kg/m2
  • Have tried other weight-loss programs, such as a supervised diet or exercise regimen
  • Not be pregnant

Some patients may be ineligible for the gastric balloon based on their medical history.

Will insurance cover my weight-loss surgery?

No, since the gastric balloon is a temporary procedure.

Which weight-loss procedure is for me?

Once you qualify for our weight-loss program, our bariatric surgeons will discuss your surgical options. They will make recommendations based on factors, such as your medical history, current health, BMI and more.

All of our doctors perform various types of bariatric procedures. Gastric sleeve, known as sleeve gastrectomy, is the most common because it generally has the fewest complications and the best weight-loss outcomes. The gastric band and gastric bypass are no longer considered best practices in bariatric surgery, and generally, physicians will counsel you towards other surgery options. However, there are circumstances that warrant these procedures.

Are your weight-loss surgery seminars available in other languages?

When we do have seminars available, yes, they are in both English and Spanish.

Meet Our Bariatric Surgeons

This is the team that can help change your story.

We understand that bariatric surgery is not “the easy way out”; it requires hard work, sacrifice, and an expert medical team to see you through it.

Get to know the pioneers of minimally-invasive weight-loss surgery techniques who would be helping you live a healthier life.