Treating
Obesity
You may know from personal experience that unsupervised dieting to
reduce weight is a very difficult process. In recent years the question
of being and remaining slim has received plenty of attention in the
media. 
Millions of people throughout the world
are attempting to reduce
and control their weight, with varying degrees of success.
Being overweight or obese is unhealthy. It can cause physical problems
and diseases such as heart and vascular disease and diabetes. In
addition, it may have major psychological consequences such as a
negative self-image.
With the development of the BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon
(BIB®) System comes a weight loss aid which, in conjunction
with a supervised diet and behavior modification program, can help you
achieve the health and aesthetic benefits associated with weight loss.
What
Is the BIB System?
The BIB System consists of a soft, expandable balloon, the placement
tube and a filling system so a physician can orally insert the weight
loss aid. Once inserted in the stomach, the empty balloon is filled
with sterile saline. When full, the balloon is too large to pass into
the bowel and will now float freely in the stomach.
How
Does the BIB System
Work?
The BIB System is designed to make compliance with a supervised diet
and behavior modification program easier. The balloon partially fills
the stomach and patients report that they have a feeling of fullness.
How
Is the BIB System Balloon Placed in the Stomach?
The balloon is introduced into the stomach through the mouth without
the need for surgery. The physician conducts an initial examination of
the stomach using an endoscopic camera. If no abnormalities are
observed, the physician proceeds with placement of the balloon through
the mouth and down the esophagus into the stomach. The balloon is made
of a soft and pliable silicone elastomer material and is inserted while
in its smallest, deflated form. 
The swallowing process is made easier
with the help of anesthetics applied topically to numb the throat area.
Muscle relaxing medications are also used. Once the balloon is inside
the stomach, it is immediately filled with sterile saline through a
small filling tube (catheter) attached to the balloon. Once filled, the
doctor removes the catheter by gently pulling on the external end. The
balloon has a selfsealing valve, and at this point the balloon is
floating freely in the stomach. Placement times vary but it will
usually take 20-30 minutes, after which you will be monitored by the
physician for a short time and then may return home.
Who
Can Use the BIB System?
The BIB System is designed to assist with weight loss in people who are
at least 40% above their ideal weight (as defined by the Metropolitan
Life Insurance 1983 Weight and Frame tables) and who have failed to
obtain prolonged weight loss with other
weight control programs.The BIB System may be particularly useful for
people considered too overweight or at increased risk
for vital surgery. The use of the BIB System to successfully reduce
weight prior to surgery may help reduce the risks associated with
surgical procedures on overweight patients.
How
Long Is the BIB System Balloon Used?
The balloon currently can be used for six months. Longer periods of use
are not recommended. Over time the acidic content of the stomach will
weaken the balloon material and cause the balloon to deflate. Should
your physician recommend use of
the balloon for longer than six months, it is necessary that the
balloon be replaced with a new one when the six-month interval has been
met. While you are using the balloon, your physician may prescribe a
course of oral medication to reduce your stomach acid (this may reduce
the possibility of stomach irritation and damage to the balloon).
What
Happens if the BIB System Balloon
Deflates Spontaneously?
If the balloon deflates before a scheduled removal you may or may not
be aware that it has occurred. Your physician may place a colored dye
inside the balloon in order to help you clearly identify early
deflation by a change in the color of your urine. The balloon is small
enough that it may pass through the intestines and leave the body
naturally, but there have been some cases in which it has had to be
removed from the bowel surgically. If you suspect a deflation, you must
notify your physician immediately.
How
Will the BIB System Balloon Be
Removed?
The balloon is normally removed in the same way it was placed, via the
esophagus and mouth. Prior to removal, you will be given a muscle
relaxant and a topical anesthetic will be applied to numb the throat.
Using an endoscopic camera, the physician will introduce a catheter
through the mouth and into the stomach. The balloon will then be
punctured and deflated. Once the balloon is deflated it can be grasped
and removed.
How
Much Weight Will I Lose with the
BIB System?
It is important for you to understand that the BIB System is an aid to
weight loss and must be used in conjunction with a prescribed diet and
behavior modification program. Therefore, the amount of weight you lose
will depend on how closely you follow your diet. How long you maintain
weight loss will depend on how completely you adopt long-term lifestyle
changes involving eating behavior and exercise.
Will
I Regain My Weight after the BIB System Balloon Is Removed?
Because the balloon in the stomach creates a feeling of fullness, it
acts as an aid to weight reduction and may help you to adhere to a
prescribed diet. You will have a much greater chance of maintaining
your weight loss after balloon removal if you maintain and improve the
diet and behavior changes you made while using the balloon.
What
Unpleasant Effects Are Possible
with the BIB System?
It is very likely that the presence of the balloon in the stomach will
cause nausea or vomiting for a few days after placement. Your physician
can prescribe medication to alleviate these potential effects. There
exists the possibility that you will lose only a small amount of weight
or lose no weight at all while using the balloon. Of course, as stated
earlier, your commitment to dietary and behavioral changes is a pivotal
factor in the outcome. There is also the chance that unhealthy,
uncontrolled weight loss will occur and create adverse health
consequences. Be sure to speak with your physician about this.
Are
there Risks Associated with Using
the BIB System?
As with all medical procedures, there is a risk of unforeseen, unknown
or adverse reactions to the medications used and type of procedure
involved. This can vary with individuals.
As with other gastric procedures, there is the risk of injury to the
lining of the digestive tract, either by direct contact with the
instruments used to place the balloon, by the balloon itself, or as a
result of increased acid production by the stomach. Possible results
are ulcer formation, pain, bleeding, and perforation. These
complications could necessitate medical or surgical correction.
Should bacterial growth occur in the fluid that fills the balloon,
release of contaminated fluid into the intestines when the balloon is
punctured for removal may cause infection, fever, cramps and diarrhea.
Spontaneous deflation of the balloon is a complication that was
described earlier in this booklet. Should this occur, the deflated
balloon may pass through the bowel and be passed out of the body.
However, it is possible for a deflated balloon to become lodged in the
bowel and cause an obstruction. This is a serious complication,
possibly requiring surgical removal of the balloon. If not treated
immediately, it could result in death. Please contact
your physician immediately if you have any indication that your balloon
has deflated.
Of course, your physician is the most valuable person to whom to
address all of your concerns. You are strongly encouraged to discuss
all of your questions and expectations regarding the BIB System with
your physician and to evaluate the benefitsversus the possible risks
before choosing to use the BIB System as a weight loss aid.
Best wishes on your efforts to achieve a healthier lifestyle!
Source of information about gastric balloon obesity treatment:
www.bioenterics.com
