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Background and Purpose: Intragastric balloons are used as a treatment for obesity. Much of the data collected on balloons had been in the context of clinical trials in academic medical centers or as a bridge to bariatric surgery in obesity centers. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of balloon treatment in private practice., Study Design: This is an interventional study., Subjects: The study included 1600 patients., Place: The study was conducted at the ElKatib Hospital., Method: This was a retrospective analysis of 6-month weight loss data and balloon-related complications of patients referred to a private center for obesity treatment., Assessment: The assessment was carried out by obtaining full patients' history (personal history, present illness, and previous drug history and operations). Laboratory work was done in the form of CBC, blood sugar, and viral markers. Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) silicone balloon was used, filled with saline plus methylene blue dye with a volume ranging from 400 to 700 ml. The gained measures were analyzed by using SPSS program, and paired t test and chi-square test were used to compare between groups., Results: A total of 1600 patients were included (368 male (23%) and 1232 female (77%)) with mean age 34.1 ± 10.354, mean body weight 112.45 ± 26.24, and mean body mass index (BMI) 40.32 ± 8.17. There were 46 patients younger than 18 years and 12 patients older than 60 years. There were 109 patients with a BMI ranging from 25 to < 35 and 737 patients with a BMI ≥ 40 kg/m 2 . A total of 1567 patients who attended weight consultation had a mean weight loss 17.35 ± 11.07 from intragastric balloon implantation. Thirty-three patients from the total sample were not weighted after the removal of the balloon (dropped out). Percentage excess weight loss (% EWL) = 100% × (baseline absolute weight (AW)-last weight)/(baseline AW-initial body weight (IBW)) was found, and weight loss of more than 10% was considered significant. About 49.3% of patients showed significant weight loss > 10%, 24.7% of patients showed weight loss > 20%, while 26% of patients showed no significant weight loss < 10%., Conclusion: Intragastric balloons on their own, with an intensive lifestyle program and supportive consultations, resulted in safe and short-term substantial weight loss, and may fill the therapeutic gap between pharmacotherapy and surgery.

Background: The BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon [BIB] is a reliable, non-invasive technique to manage obesity for subjects who refuse or are unsuitable for bariatric surgery. In a prior study, BIB placed in the antrum [A] was found to have significantly better results on weight loss in relation to that in fundus [F], but many balloons initially placed in the F were eventually found in the A. The aim of the present analysis was to evaluate whether the balloon position [firmly in F, firmly in A, or transient from F to A [FA]] influences the 3- and 6-month weight loss., Material: Six hundred sixty-eight patients that underwent successful BIB treatment were assigned into three groups: group F [n = 354], group A [n = 159], and group AF [n = 155]. Weight loss parameters were recorded and analyzed at 3 and 6 months., Results: In all three groups, there was a significant, progressive reduction of BMI at 3 and 6 months. At 6 months, BMI reduction between groups F and A, and F and FA [p = 0.001] and groups A and FA [p = 0.018] was prominent., Conclusion: The position of the BIB affects its effectiveness: better results when antrum is involved. This observation seems to give a great perspective to newly established gastric space-occupying devices, which aim to have a compartment constantly present in the antrum. However, further studies have to be performed in order to validate the results and more importantly to clarify the mechanisms implied.

Background: Obesity is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases. The BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) is used worldwide as a short-term (6 months) treatment in morbid obese patients. However, removal of BIB past 6 months is a common occurrence in clinical practice often as a result of patient factors. The aim of the present Italian multicentre cohort study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the BIB left in situ for more than 6 months. Materials and methods: A total of eight Italian centres participated in the study. Participating centres received a standardised questionnaire designed to capture safety and efficacy data. Weight loss data, as well as date, and reason for removal of the BIB after 6 months were recorded. Adverse events, including mortality and complications, operators' subjective technical notes and findings, and difficulties during removal procedure were also collected. Results: Six hundred and eleven patients were included. In the majority of cases, patient extended BIB treatment due to satisfactory weight loss (44 %). At 6 months, all patients achieved a BMI statistically lower than the initial BMI ( p < 0.001). There was a non-significant trend towards greater BMIL % in patients who underwent removal up to 15 months versus the results achieved up to 6 months. No major complications were recorded. Conclusion: Extending the duration of BIB use up to 14 months safely maintains weight loss and satiety with greater results than that up to 6 months, without complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The intragastric balloon is a widely used method in the treatment of obesity indicated for those patients who have failed to achieve and maintain the weight loss with conventional measures or for preparation of patients who are candidates for bariatric surgery. Methods: From April 2007 to April 2009, 171 consecutive patients (111 females, 60 males; mean age 39.2 ± 10.5, mean weight 123.2 ± 27.1 kg) were evaluated before and 6 months after bioenteric intragastric balloon (BIB) placement by assessment of anthropometric and biochemical parameters. Results: The mean BMI during balloon treatment declined from 41.9 ± 7.3 to 36.0 ± 7.9 kg/m ( p < 0.001) with a percentage of excess weight loss of 39.7 ± 23.6 and percentage of excess body mass index loss of 39.5 ± 25.1. A significant improvement in blood pressure, glycemia, and triglyceride level but not in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was seen. Conclusion: Results of this large prospective single center study confirmed that intragastric balloon is useful and safe method for promoting weight loss. Due to improvement of metabolic parameters, treatment with BIB results in reduction of cardiovascular risk and provides a sustained benefit on liver function in obese patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BioEnterics intragastric balloon (BIB) is one of the most common bariatric procedures in obese patients in Europe. Associated gastric perforation is a rare, yet very dangerous, complication. We report a case of such a complication after BioEnterics intragastric balloon insertion in a 60-year-old female patient and subsequent cooperation between an endoscopist and bariatric videosurgeon in her treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]