Photo by Samuel Bendet, US Air Force (ID: 050131-F-1936B-008)
There have been all sorts of weight loss surgeries which have emerged over the last few years, some which appear to be more innovative than others.
Initially, we were forced to live with the fact that in order to reap the benefits of such surgery, we’d have to turn to quite a complex procedure that naturally carried a lot of risks. Like most things in the medical world, things have now advanced to a stage where procedures are simpler and the risks have therefore been minimized.
In the midst of all this has been the emergence of the gastric balloon procedure. In comparison to rival treatments, this is even simpler and is actually an in-patient form of treatment. It’s certainly innovative, as we take a look at it in further detail and highlight how the gastric balloon has transformed weight loss surgery.
It’s not invasive
Let’s start with the main factor about this treatment – it’s not invasive in the slightest. While all forms of weight loss surgery have been simplified over the years (mostly through keyhole procedures), the gastric balloon is on a different level and can take as little as ten minutes. In fact, most patients are home within an hour, simply because it enters through your mouth via an endoscopic tube.
Ultimately, this prompts a whole host of benefits. Any type of surgery, regardless of what it is related to, carries risk. As you are not going “under the knife” with the gastric balloon, it immediately means you are decreasing the risks.
The simplicity is reflected in the bottom line
As the gastric balloon isn’t technically surgery, it means that it’s much cheaper than some alternative methods of combating obesity.
We’re not going to brand about figures here; different practices will offer different rates for all of their procedures and it would be unfair to compare. However, the fact that it’s an in-patient procedure should say everything you need to know about its simplicity, which will be reflected in the final price.
Of course, it’s not a permanent solution and this should be considered as well. We’re going to assume that you’re not necessarily opting for the gastric balloon through cost alone though, you will have probably been recommended it due to your own circumstances.
There is still big weight to lose
Following on from the benefits we have just taken a look at, it might be easy to assume that the gastric balloon doesn’t carry many advantages in terms of weight loss. In other words, as it’s so much simpler, many people believe that you can’t lose significant amounts of weight.
Again, it’s unfair to report on concrete figures here – each patient will be different. The general advice is that you can lose up to 30% of your excess weight through this treatment method though, which is more than sufficient for most people who are considering a form of obesity treatment.