BIB balloon can lead to significant weight loss

The so-called BIB balloon system partially fills the tummy, so the patient feels full after eating only small amounts of food. The silicone balloon is inserted into the stomach through the mouth with the help of a gastroscope — a thin hollow tube which is used to feed in surgical instruments. Once in place, the expandable balloon is filled with 500ml of a blue-coloured solution, through a tube in the gastroscope. This acts to reduce the capacity of the stomach by a quarter — the stomach’s maximum capacity normally is two litres. The coloured solution allows a patients to quickly detect any leakage as the liquid will turn their urine blue. The balloon is designed to be kept in place for six months. The balloon can lead to a reduction of 10 percent of body weight over a year, whereas a gastric band, as used by Fern Britton, can help lose up to 30 per cent.

After this, the surgeon uses a gastroscope to remove it if the patient has lost a sufficient amount of weight, or replace it with another balloon. Although the technology has been available for some years, evidence now shows it can be a safe alternative to weight-loss surgery, and more doctors are now turning to the procedure for moderately obese patients. Source: MailOnline