ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
    • Animals
    • Climate
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • FutureNEW
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
HomeHealth & Medicine

Temporary swallowable gastric balloon helps obese lose 15kg on average in only 4 months without surgery

A huge innovation set to help a lot of people.

Tibi Puiu byTibi Puiu
May 19, 2017
inHealth & Medicine, News
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit
ADVERTISEMENT

An ingestible balloon can help the obese dramatically lose weight without invasive surgery. The balloon is swallowed, then filled with water while it’s still in the stomach. After 16 weeks, the balloon spontaneously collapses and its contents are excreted with no danger to the patient whatsoever. On average, each patient lost around 15 kg.

elliptic balloon
The balloon is swallowed and then filled with water through a tube that is later detached. Credit: Zack Williamson/WilliamsonVisual.

The procedure was demonstrated by researchers led by Roberta Ienca, from the Department of Experimental Medicine, Food Science and Endocrinology at Sapienza University, Rome. The team recruited 38 obese patients for their 1st phase clinical trial. At the end of the 4-month period, the average reported weight loss was 15.2 kg (33.5 lbs) or about a third of their excess body weight. By all accounts, that sounds mindblowing considering:

  • it’s temporary;
  • no surgery involved;
  • is cheap compared to other methods.
Credit: Roberta Ienca.
Credit: Roberta Ienca.

Right now, the go-to method for fast weight loss is bariatric surgery. The weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with a gastric band or through the removal of a portion of the stomach (sleeve gastrectomy or biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch) or by resecting and re-routing the small intestine to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery).

If you find all of that nasty, you’re not alone. Post-surgery, there could even be complications like:

  • Excessive bleeding
  • Infection
  • Adverse reactions to anesthesia
  • Blood clots

    ellipse balloon
    Graphic: ZME Science.
  • Lung or breathing problems
  • Leaks in your gastrointestinal system
  • Death (rare)

Moreover, it can cost a fortune. The average cost of gastric bypass surgery is $23,000, the average cost of lap band is $14,500, and the average cost of sleeve gastrectomy surgery is $14,900. Yet thousands are on waiting lists around the world for bariatric surgery because it works. Some patients can lose more than a hundred pounds extremely fast. But it’s not all rosy. After this type of surgery, you can only eat a couple of types of food and the patients need to undergo psychological counseling.

The new method developed at Sapienza, dubbed the Elliptic Balloon, is not meant to replace bariatric surgery. Unlike bariatric surgery which comes with lifelong change, the Elliptic Balloon is temporary and once it’s gone, that’s all you get. Basically, instead of cutting the stomach to make it smaller, the Italian researchers insert an object that reduces the volume.

The Elliptic Balloon technology is not meant for those who are extremely obese, though. Rather, its niche is geared towards those are moderately obese.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Because the Elipse Balloon does not require endoscopy, surgery or anaesthesia, this may make it suitable for a larger population of obese patients not responding to diet/lifestyle treatment and also for use by a variety of clinicians — nutritionists, dietitians, and internists — who currently do not have access to or are qualified to fit endoscopic or surgical weight loss devices,” Dr. Ienca told The Guardian.

Findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Porto, Portugal.

 

Tags: bariatric surgeryweight loss
ShareTweetShare

How much money are you losing by not going solar? Use our savings calculator for rooftop solar.

Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines.

ADVERTISEMENT

EDITOR'S PICKS

Leaf blowers are not only annoying but also bad for you (and the environment)
Environment

Leaf blowers are not only annoying but also bad for you (and the environment)

by Alexandru Micu
November 15, 2019 - Updated on November 17, 2019

It comes down to the inefficient engines they use.

Read more
What are greenhouse gases and why we need to worry about them? A simple explainer

What are greenhouse gases and why we need to worry about them? A simple explainer

November 15, 2019
The difference between programming and coding with Leslie Lamport

The difference between programming and coding with Leslie Lamport

November 15, 2019
Why ketamine is so good against depression

Why ketamine is so good against depression

November 8, 2019
pixabay-brain-fog

What is brain fog: the mental fatigue that ruins your mood

October 25, 2019
ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
  • More

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
    • Animals
    • Climate
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Before you leave...
Subscribe to ZME Science 
Every weekday, we send out a free newsletter with the most exciting science news of the moment.
Stay Updated
By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. Give it a try, you can unsubscribe anytime.
close-link