What is the Obalon Balloon System?
Obalon is the FIRST and ONLY swallowable, FDA-approved balloon system for weight loss. The Obalon Balloon System helps facilitate weight loss by taking up space in your stomach so you eat less. Three balloons are placed for a six-month non-surgical treatment, combined with a professionally supervised nutrition and exercise program for optimal weight loss. Patients in one clinical study lost twice as much weight as with diet and exercise alone.
How it works:
The Obalon Balloon System helps facilitate weight loss by taking up space in your stomach so you eat less. During treatment you will receive our professional nutrition and exercise support to help you make the lifestyle changes that promote weight loss. The Obalon Balloon System supports you to help change your eating habits and keep the weight off for the long term.
Obalon Helps Support Long-Lasting Results:
An average of 89% of weight lost in the Obalon Clinical Study was kept off at 1 year (6 months post-removal), when combined with a moderate intensity diet and exercise program.
The procedure:
The placement of each Obalon balloon typically takes less than 10 minutes and doesn’t require sedation. In the comfort of our office, you swallow a capsule containing a small balloon, and then I inflate the balloon. The procedure is painless and you can go back to work.
After six months, all three balloons must be removed. The procedure is performed with light sedation. The removal procedure is typically no longer than 15 minutes.
Lifestyle Modification:
The Obalon Balloon System can assist with your weight loss efforts, but your weight loss success is also dependent on your readiness to develop new lifestyle skills. The degree of long-term weight loss will depend on your ability to modify your lifestyle and maintain this behavior after the balloons are removed.
Who Can Get the Obalon Balloon System?
You are a candidate for the Obalon Balloon System if you have a body mass index (BMI) from 30 to 40 kg/m2 (30 to 100 pounds overweight) and are 22 years or older. The program begins with the placement of the Obalon Balloons in your stomach for up to six months. The program should be accompanied with a healthy diet and exercise program to obtain and maintain good weight loss.
Will the Obalon Balloon System limit my activity?
Patients usually resume normal activities immediately after the balloon placement procedure. You cannot take any stomach irritating medicines like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or Aspirin while the balloons are in your stomach. Some examples of NSAIDs are Motrin or Advil. You cannot have the balloons placed if you plan to live in a place at an altitude more than 4000 feet higher or 2500 feet lower than Rockville Maryland. Please see the Safety Information section and Patient Labeling for contraindicated activities with the Obalon Balloon System.
Complications reported with the balloon:
If a person does not follow a healthy diet and exercise program they will not lose weight. The role of the balloon is only to help a person feel full after eating a small amount of food. Uncommonly, patients have nausea for the first few days after placing the balloon until the stomach adjusts to the balloon. We will prescribe anti-nausea medications to all patients. Vomiting and abdominal discomfort also rarely occur early during the balloon experience. Rare complications of stomach perforation and balloon deflation with bowel obstruction have been reported. Very rare complications with placement and removal related to the endoscopy and sedation have been reported.
Malabsorption:
The balloon results in no malabsorption. All nutrients and vitamins are absorbed normally.
Vitamin requirements:
One daily multivitamin should be taken while losing weight due to the decreased intake of nutrients while dieting. Taking vitamin D by mouth may be needed if your vitamin D is low before the balloon is placed.
Dietary restrictions:
A liquid diet is recommended for 3 weeks to help jump start weight loss. Patients may advance their diet to a low carbohydrate diet sooner if they desire. Our program diet is a low carbohydrate, balanced, healthy diet. This diet is maintained to achieve the goal weight. Once the goal weight is reached, a maintenance diet of expanded calories is begun for long-term health and happiness. A proton pump inhibitor (antacid) medication is recommended while the balloon is in place.
Number of incisions:
none
Hospital stay:
None
The balloons are placed during a brief office visit without any sedation. Six months later, the balloons are removed during an outpatient endoscopy while sedated with the patient going home from the recovery room.
Recovery:
Recovery time is minimal. Most patients return to unrestricted activity immediately following balloon placement.
Reversible:
The balloon is reversible. The balloon is not adjustable. The balloon must be taken out after six months.
Balloon Cost:
$7800 This covers the cost of the balloon and the costs of placing it and removing it 6 months later. 12 months of a physician-directed comprehensive weight loss program are also included.