Italian doctors use an alternative to gastric bypass surgery: a rubber balloon is inserted into the stomach during a 20-minute procedure.This is a simple and less-invasive way to fight obesity than surgery but the weight loss is often temporary.
The method also has its skeptics. Dr. Schreiber, director of the Cleveland Center for Bariatric Surgery at St. Vincent Charity Hospital, says that the procedure was used in the U.S. 15 years ago but the weight loss was negligible and there were too many complications.
References:
Stomach balloons can help in weight battle. Jan. 30, 2006. MSNBC.
Stomach balloons are latest tool to help obese patients lose weight. February 05, 2006. The Plain Dealer.
Europeans Find Extra Options for Staying Slim. January 3, 2006. The New York Times
Image source: Stomach diagram, Wikipedia.
Yes, it was a failure for the most part--the balloon has to come out at some point and that's when the weight will almost certainly come back. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, although certainly more involved, has the benefit of permanance and malabsorption, which increases the chance of success and provides a behavioral aversion component.
ReplyDeleteThis is a bit of old news by now. Balloons are being used successfully all over Europe & people are losing weight. Some regress, but unlike mor drastic surgery procedures, it is reversible and repeatable and much lower risk. Allergan has a slaine filled balloon, Heliospher an air filled balloon and a new adjustable balloon is being developed by Spatz.
ReplyDelete"This is a bit of old news by now."
ReplyDeleteOf course, it is old news - this post is from 2006... :)
Take a look to www.spatzmedical.net
ReplyDeleteRevolutionary new balloon is in pre-marketing stage
Hi I had the balloon put in 3 months ago and have lost 2 stone. It was very uncomfortable afterwards for about a week but has all settled down now. I tried orlistat and reductil and neither worked as nothing else did. My doctor wouldn't refer me because of costs but luckily I had enough money to go private. It cost just under £4,000 in manchester spire hospital. I was so fed up of being fat after having my kids I had to do something drastric
ReplyDeletefor more detail visit this link
http://www.gastricballoon.org