Health and well-being is everyone’s desire, but few can achieve this long-sought goal. But when this long-dreamed goal involves health, the need is even greater. Currently we are living in a society increasingly concerned with a healthy weight loss and the intragastric balloon has emerged to help those who seek to lose weight in a health manner, enabling a better quality of life without restriction in daily activities.

INTRAGASTRIC BALLOON
It is a prosthesis produced in medical grade silicone, filled with sterile saline and methylene blue, in volumes of 400 to 700ml.

Its placement is performed through a digestive endoscopy (same procedure used in examinations for the detection of stomach problems as ulcer and gastritis), that is, there are no cuts.

The intragastric balloon is a non-surgical alternative for the treatment of obesity; a safe and effective device for weight reduction.

The procedure of insertion and removal of the intragastric balloon is minimally invasive, that is, without cutting. The necessary hospitalization of half a day in hospital, allows the patient to continue with the normal day to day activities, including physical activities.

The maximum period of stay of the balloon inside the stomach is six months. After the six month treatment, if the patient wishes to place another balloon, a shelter period – defined by the doctor – may be necessary for the placing of the new one.

INDICATIONS
The indication of any health treatment can only be made by doctors.
Overweight patients with BMI (body mass index) of 27 or higher.
Patients with obesity and associated diseases.
Patients with morbid obesity (BMI > 40), who present surgical contraindications or who aim at a non-surgical method of weight loss;
Super obese patients, as preparation for a surgical weight reduction technique.

CONTRAINDICATIONS
Relative contraindications of Intragastric Balloon Treatment
Alcohol or drug addiction
Gastric or duodenal ulcer in active phase
Chronic use of anticoagulants without interruption
Collagen diseases
Intestinal inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, RCUI)
Hiatal hernia > than 5cm
Old age; > 70 years
Pregnancy or breastfeeding women
Treatment’s absolute contraindications
Potentially hemorrhagic gastric transitory diseases
Esophagitis grade III or more
Chronic use of NSAIDs
Hepatical cirrhosis
Chronic Renal Insufficiency
Dependency
Anterior hiatal hernia surgery, antireflux valve, reducing gastroplasties
Any previous gastric surgery.

GUIDANCE ON THE PROCEDURE

The placement of the Intragastric Balloon is efficient for weight loss and maintenance, since, occupying a space in the stomach, it causes a sensation of precocious satiety. Thus, one eats considerably less and feels satisfied more quickly.

For the success of the treatment with the intragastric balloon, it is essential to follow the patient through a multidisciplinary team, through a nutritionist, physical activity and psychological support, when necessary.

In the first 72 hours after the placement of the intragastric balloon, it is common to feel nausea and abdominal discomfort. This is because the body needs to adapt to the presence of the balloon. After this period of adaptation, the user should not feel discomfort and can continue with normal activities of daily living, including physical exercises, indicated by the doctor.

In addition, it is necessary to control the acidity of the stomach during treatment, with specific medication indicated by the doctor accompanying the treatment.

Although it is extremely rare (but there is a possibility), any leakage is easily detected by the presence of methylene blue in the patient’s urine. It is noteworthy that saline and methylene blue serving as a balloon filling does not cause health damage. If there is a leak, the doctor who performed the procedure should be consulted so that the balloon can be withdrawn within 24 hours.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM

NUTRITIONAL GUIDANCE
Nutritional support is indispensable for the procedure to be effective and, with this goal, the patients’ eating behavior will be monitored gradually so that weight loss occurs in a healthy and effective way.

Nutritional monitoring will be fundamental for the food reeducation, aiming at the acquisition of good eating habits in the promotion of the quality of life.

PHYSICAL ORIENTATION
Physical activity is a key instrument for weight reduction and body fat. Reducing weight is our goal. To lose weight with health is our goal.

Physical exercise associated with dietary reeducation is the main mechanism for controlling and reducing body weight and fat.

The physical activity carried out in a systematic way promotes significant alterations in the organism. These alterations improve cardiovascular health, reduce cholesterol and glycemia levels, help improve sleep quality, increase muscle strength levels, reduce blood pressure, improves body image, and provides an increase in daily caloric expenditure.

As an example, if we do 30 minutes of physical activity per day, be it at one time or divided into 3 times of 10 minutes, we will have a 70% reduction of attacks related to any type of cardiovascular disease (stroke, others).

The choice of activity should respect the preferences of those who will practice it. That is, if an individual likes to hike, it is interesting that he dedicates himself to this activity and if he prefers riding a bicycle, dancing, or water aerobics, the concept will be the same.

There are activities that involve specific skills and to have adherence to the physical activity program, it is important to start gradually and with lighter activities.
What is the necessary care for those who put a Intragastric Balloon?

It is necessary that there is a multidisciplinary follow-up of the patient who underwent the placement of Intragastric Balloon. It is a medical team’s responsibility to determine the frequency of follow-up. In addition, it is necessary to control the acidity of the stomach during treatment, with specific medication indicated by the doctor accompanying the treatment.
Although it is extremely rare (but there is a possibility), any leakage is easily detected by the presence of methylene blue in the patient’s urine. It is noteworthy that saline and methylene blue serving as a balloon filling does not cause health damage. If there is a leak, the doctor who performed the procedure should be consulted so that the balloon can be withdrawn within 24 hours.

In the first 72 hours after the placement of the intragastric balloon, it is common to feel nausea and abdominal discomfort. This is because the body needs to adapt to the presence of the balloon. After this period of adaptation, the user should not feel discomfort and can continue with normal activities of daily living, including physical exercises, indicated by the doctor.
What are the expected results for who put the Intragastric Balloon? Are there any side effects?
The placement of the Intragastric Balloon is efficient for weight loss and maintenance, since, occupying a space in the stomach, it causes a sensation of precocious satiety. Thus, one eats considerably less and feels satisfied more quickly.
There have never been any cases where the balloon ruptured inside a patient’s stomach. After the placement of the Intragastric Balloon, in some cases the balloon may be felt in the stomach, but after a short period of time the patient becomes accustomed to the sensation, not having any discomfort.
The Intragastric Balloon, whose placement involves a blunt procedure with necessary hospitalization for half a day in a hospital, allows the patient to continue with normal day-to-day activities, including physical activities.

After the balloon is removed, does the person regain weight?
Weight maintenance, regardless of the method you choose for weight loss, depends on discipline. Ideally, during the months of treatment with the intragastric balloon, the person follow guidelines from professionals (Endocrinologists, Nutrologists, Nutritionists) for a food reeducation and acquire healthier eating habits as well as physical activities, as this is what will ensure the maintenance of the weight after removal of the balloon.

NUTRITIONAL GUIDANCE
The nutritional support is indispensable for the procedure to be effective and for this purpose, the patients’ eating behavior will be monitored gradually so that weight loss occurs and vitamin, mineral and protein depletion is avoided.

The nutritionist will guide the progressive evolution of the foods according to their compositions and consistencies, helping with the planning of the meal and attentive to the possible deficiencies.
The procedure’s nutritional orientation will consist of steps, previously established by the nutritionist, that must be strictly followed for better adaptation to the balloon and weight loss.

The consultations should be scheduled in advance, so that adequate diet programming can be performed, being of extreme importance the regular accompaniment with the professional for the procedure evolution. For efficacy in the treatment, the personal commitment of the patient is indispensable.

Nutritional monitoring will be fundamental for the food reeducation, aiming at the acquisition of good eating habits in the promotion of the quality of life.

PHYSICAL ORIENTATION

What is the reason for doing physical activity?
Physical activity is a key instrument for weight reduction and body fat. Reducing weight is our goal. To lose weight with health is our goal.

Does physical activity help with weight loss?
No doubt. Physical exercise associated with dietary reeducation is the main mechanism for controlling and reducing body weight and fat.
It increases muscle tone, improves heart health and provides increased caloric expenditure as a result of increased muscle mass. That is, losing weight is directly associated with performing physical activity.

What are the benefits of physical activity?

The physical activity carried out in a systematic way promotes significant alterations in the organism. These alterations improve cardiovascular health, reduce cholesterol and glycemia levels, help improve sleep quality, increase muscle strength levels, reduce blood pressure, improves body image, and provides an increase in daily caloric expenditure.
As an example, if we do 30 minutes of physical activity per day, be it at one time or divided into 3 times of 10 minutes, we will have a 70% reduction of attacks related to any type of cardiovascular disease (stroke, others).

What is better: Physical activity supervised by a professional or done voluntarily?

There is literature evidence that physical activity supervised by a specific professional provides higher gains and achieves the proposed objectives more quickly and efficiently. In addition, the risks are extremely reduced when we are accompanied by a professional.

Is there any kind of activity that is not recommended?

No. The choice of activity to be carried out takes into account the following aspects:
– Personal preference: the choice of activity should respect the preferences of those who will practice it. That is, if an individual likes to hike, it is interesting that he dedicates himself to this activity and if he prefers riding a bicycle, dancing, or water aerobics, the concept will be the same.
– Physical fitness: there are activities that involve specific skills and to have adherence to the physical activity program, it is important to start gradually and with lighter activities.
– Risks: some types of exercises may be associated with some types of injury depending on the pre-disposition of the individual.

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