The Intra gastric balloon is in most situations to help and to motivate weight loss at a more professional way. This procedure is simple, NON-invasive and temporarely for 6 months.

The intra gastric balloon is also a good option if the patient are unsure about surgery. It is medically proven that a good result with the balloon indicates a good result with the gastric band. If, on the other hand, the balloon does not work, then the band may be similarly ineffective, and the gastric bypass procedure is recommended instead.

The gastric balloon is placed in the stomach to create an early feeling of fullness during a small meal, causing a marked reduction in energy intake and weight reduction (figure 7). The best candidates are obese patients who do not fulfill the criteria for bariatric surgery, or super-obese patients who must lose weight prior to bariatric surgery, in order to prevent complications after the operation.

The balloon is guided endoscopically by a surgeon or an gastro-enterologist, a procedure much like a classic endoscopic examination of the stomach (gastroscopy). For EOC patients: it is performed with anaesthesia. The process lasts approximately 20 minutes. Because of the sleeping drug during the procedure the patient wakes up relaxing and has less vomiting problems afterwards.

The balloon is filled, via an external catheter, with air or a saline solution, depending on the type of balloon used. When filled, the balloon expands and floats freely within the stomach; it remains in place for a maximum of 6 months before removal, again by endoscopy.

In many studies, the mean percentage of excess weight loss was found to be 36 -60 percent. This is depending of BMI and after care. The weight loss was accompanied by improvements in obesity-related conditions, such as type-2 diabetes and hypertension.

Because the balloon must be removed after 6 months, long-term maintenance of weight loss is limited. For good long-term results, it is necessary to combine the balloon system with a system of behaviour for weight loss. The balloon's value is to chiefly therapeutic, to induce behavioral changes after the procedure that can be maintained over a long period of time.
In the case of super-obese patients, bariatric surgery is recommended after the removal of the balloon.

The majority of patients experience symptoms immediately after the installation of the balloon; these include nausea, vomiting, acid reflux or epigastric pain, and cramps. However, the stomach accommodates itself to the balloon within 2-5 days and these early symptoms then disappear. Occasionally the symptoms persist, and a premature deflation and removal of the balloon is required. This ‘balloon intolerance’ occurs approximately 2% of the time.

Other complications are rare, and include gastric and oesophageal injury during installation or removal of the balloon, gastric ulcers, and gastric outlet obstruction.