The Benefits of a Gastric Balloon

As you’ve likely figured out by now, there’s no such thing as a magic bullet when it comes to losing weight through dieting. We assure you, you’re not alone. Nearly half of the adult population in the United States attempted to lose weight in the last year, often with disappointing results.

While weight loss surgery is a highly effective option for losing weight quickly and keeping it off, our team here at Advanced Surgeons recognizes that surgery isn’t for everyone. As a result, we offer nonsurgical options, including the Orbera® gastric balloon.

In the following, we take a look at some of the great benefits of a gastric balloon for losing weight.

How Orbera works

Before we get into the benefits of Orbera, let’s quickly review how this approach to weight loss works. Orbera is a balloon that we insert into your stomach and then fill with saline, making it about the size of a softball.

This balloon takes up considerable space in your stomach, so you eat far less.

Now that you understand the concept of a gastric balloon, let’s take a look at some of its advantages.

No surgery required

The procedure to place your Orbera balloon takes only about 20 minutes, and we perform it right here in our offices. We insert the deflated balloon down through your esophagus and into your stomach, at which point we use a special syringe to fill the balloon with saline. That’s it.

With the gastric balloon, we don’t need to make any incisions, which means there’s less risk and no recovery time.

Preserving your digestive tract

With Orbera, we work with your existing digestive tract. Many bariatric surgeries require us to make irreversible alterations, such as removing a portion of your stomach.

A temporary solution

After we insert and inflate your Orbera balloon, you keep the balloon in your stomach for about six months, then you return to us for a simple removal procedure.

A jump-start to better eating

During the six months that the balloon is in your stomach, not only will its presence prevent you from overeating, you can (and should) use this time to retrain your eating habits. 

For example, one of the biggest hurdles when it comes to dieting is learning portion control. Orbera is a great way to jump-start this practice, which will serve you well long into the future.

This time also allows you to shift your diet toward healthier foods that fill you up and support your health. 

Rest assured, we can help you navigate a new way of eating during this time through our nutrition services.

At the end of your six months with Orbera, you’re set for success moving forward as you appreciate the dramatic effects that portion control and better diet can have.

Orbera works

The manufacturers of Orbera conducted in-house studies that found that those who use Orbera lose up to 3.1 times the weight compared to those who rely on diet and exercise alone. So that 20-pound weight loss you used to work for can become a 60-plus pound loss with Orbera.

If you’d like to explore further whether the Orbera gastric balloon is right for your weight loss goals, please contact one of our offices in Valhalla, Carmel, or Poughkeepsie, New York, to schedule a consultation.