What is a Swallowable Gastric balloon?

Swallowable Gastric Balloon (Elipse)

An ingestible gastric balloon is a pill-sized medical material used to lose weight by inflating when it reaches the stomach. This type of gastric balloon, which is applied under the supervision of a doctor but not surgically, allows a person to lose weight over time by supporting the improvement of the health problems related to obesity.

What is a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

A swallowable gastric balloon is a weight loss system that aims to reduce food intake by taking up space in the stomach. This balloon is not surgically inserted into the body. A balloon with a catheter at the tip is swallowed with the assistance of the doctor and allowed to reach the stomach. The balloon that reaches the stomach is inflated with air or saline fluid through a catheter. The inflated balloon fills part of the stomach by providing a volume of up to 500 milliliters. There is less space for food intake in the stomach, part of which is filled with a balloon. With the provision of a feeling of satiety in this way, the person consumes less food and it is ensured that the patient loses weight.

What is the Use of a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

The purpose of a swallowable gastric balloon is to enable a person to lose the unhealthy weight they have. When the value of body mass index, which is calculated with the person's height and weight ratio, is found to be over 30 kg/m2 this person is considered obese. As support for the diet and exercise applied for the treatment of obesity, swallowable gastric balloons come to the fore to speed up the process.

What are the Risks of a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

Pain or nausea are among the side effects that may occur after swallowing the Elipse gastric balloon. But this side effect ends in a few days. If this condition persists for a long time or if other complications develop, a doctor must definitely be consulted. At the same time, the gastric balloon can rarely deflate. A deflated balloon carries a risk of entering the digestive tract. For this reason, a swallowable gastric balloon should be applied as a result of consultation with a specialist doctor before the procedures.

How is a Swallowable Gastric Balloon Performed?

The gastric balloon is swallowed by an outpatient procedure. A catheter tube is located at one end of the gastric balloon for the procedure. After the procedure, an X-ray may be taken to see the progress of the balloon to the stomach. When the balloon reaches the stomach, the balloon is inflated by the doctor with the help of a catheter and its volume increases. The process takes about 30 minutes. It may be necessary to wait in the hospital for some time after the procedure, but the person is discharged within a few hours.

What Are the Things That Need to Be Done Before A Swallowable Gastric Balloon Is Inserted?

Before the ellipse gastric balloon is inserted, it is necessary to take good fluid into the body for about 1 week. At the same time, if medications have been prescribed by a doctor, these medications should be used regularly. In addition, the doctor must be given detailed information about the medications used and existing diseases. A 12-hour fasting is required before the balloon is swallowed. It will be indicated by the doctor how long ago the intake of foods and fluids should stop.

What Are the Things to Be Done After Inserting a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

After swallowing the gastric balloon, which lasts about half an hour, the person can continue their daily life. However, due to the risk of developing nausea and pain, it may be recommended to rest on the first day. At the same time, these complaints can be reduced with a more liquid-based diet in this process. In order for the process to pass more efficiently after gastric balloon, it should be worked together with a dietitian.

Who is Given a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

A swallowable gastric balloon can enable people, who are adults, overweight at the obesity level and have not had bariatric surgery in the past, to achieve a healthy weight. People with Type 2 diabetes due to excess weight can also resort to this method if the doctor deems it appropriate. But it is not suitable for use by people with a health problem such as ulcers, who have undergone bariatric surgery in the past, pregnant or lactating.

What are the Advantages of a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

A swallowable gastric balloon does not require a surgical procedure. This method, which is easy to apply, supports weight loss by reducing food intake. Portion control becomes easier because it provides satiety to a person for a long time. At the same time, the weight loss that continues during the balloon use process can also be maintained for long periods of time after the balloon is removed from the body. The advantages of a swallowable gastric balloon are as follows:

• It provides a feeling of satiety

• It does not require anesthesia

• It can be applied quickly

• It can be excreted from the body spontaneously

• It does not require endoscopy

What are the Disadvantages of a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

There are no clear disadvantages of a swallowable gastric balloon to a person. In some people, weight gain may recur after the balloon is removed from the body, but this occurs because the person does not adopt a healthy eating pattern. It can also cause complications such as ulcers and heartburn in some people. But this condition is rare.

How Should Nutrition Be After a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

One week after the swallowable gastric balloon is inserted, the transition to solids should be made gradually, starting with a nutrition plan in liquid and soft form. During this process, it may be recommended to consume soft foods such as yogurt, scrambled eggs, and soup. In addition, warm drinks such as herbal teas can also be consumed. Do not switch to very solid foods for the first week and then healthy eating should be targeted in the next period. An appropriate nutrition plan should be determined and adapted to, accompanied by a doctor and dietitian, including the day of the procedure.

How to Remove a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

The swallowable gastric balloon deflates spontaneously after remaining in the stomach for about 4 months and is naturally excreted from the digestive tract. The valve located on the gastric balloon is opened at the end of this period and the liquid containing saline begins to disperse into the stomach. But this is not risky. The balloon, which is completely emptied, participates in the digestive process. Rarely, balloon fragments that cannot be removed may need to be removed under the supervision of a doctor.

How is a Swallowable Gastric Balloon Swallowed?

A swallowable gastric balloon is a device that does not require anesthesia and endoscopy. The balloon is an easy-to-swallow size, and the doctor wants the balloon to be swallowed with water.  If swallowing difficulties are experienced in some people, the balloon may be advanced by the doctor. This process is controlled by X-ray.

What are the Alternatives to the Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

Bariatric surgery comes to the fore as an alternative to the swallowable gastric balloon. In bariatric surgery, surgical options such as sleeve gastrectomy surgery and gastric bypass are available. At the same time, there are also gastric balloons that can be placed in the stomach by endoscopy or surgical methods that are not swallowable.

Frequently Asked Questions About "Swallowable Gastric Balloon” :

Is Swallowable Gastric Balloon Harmful?

A swallowable gastric balloon is not a gadget that is considered harmful. But the application is not possible for everyone. The use of a swallowable gastric balloon is not allowed by the doctor in cases where it will pose a risk to the person.

Is There a Diet After a Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

The purpose of a swallowable gastric balloon is to reduce a person's food intake. A healthy diet plan should definitely be followed to avoid nutrient deficiencies and healthy weight loss while reducing food intake.

What Is a Pill-Like Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

A swallowable gastric balloon is a pill-sized material that can be swallowed with the help of water. When the balloon reaches the stomach, it performs its function by being inflated. It reduces the person's food intake by taking up volume in the stomach and weight loss can continue without interruption until the balloon is removed from the body.

What are the Alternatives to the Swallowable Gastric Balloon?

Alternatives to swallowable gastric balloons are endoscopic gastric balloons applied under light anesthesia. But these types of gastric balloons are applied with procedures performed under anesthesia, and they may need to be removed from the body with surgery. Nevertheless, the effects of these types of gastric balloons on weight loss are the same.