 BioEnterics®
Intragastric Balloon (BIB®) System
What Is the BIB® System?
The BIB® System is a non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical aid in
the treatment of obesity. In conjunction with a supervised
diet and behaviour modification program, it can help you
achieve the health and aesthetic benefits associated with
weight loss.
The BIB® System consists of a soft, expandable balloon, the
placement tube and a filling system so a physician can
orally insert the weight loss aid.
Once inserted in the stomach, the empty balloon is filled
with sterile saline. When full, the balloon is too large to
pass into the bowel and will now float freely in the stomach.
How Does the BIB® System Work?
The BIB® System is designed to make compliance with a
supervised diet and behavior modification program easier.
The balloon partially fills the stomach and patients report
that they have a feeling of fullness.
How Is the BIB® System Balloon Placed in the Stomach?
The balloon is introduced into the stomach through the mouth
without the need for surgery. The physician conducts an
initial examination of the stomach using an endoscopic
camera. If no abnormalities are observed, the physician
proceeds with placement of the balloon through the mouth and
down the oesophagus into the stomach. The balloon is made of
a soft and pliable silicone elastomer material and is
inserted while in its smallest, deflated form. The
swallowing process is made easier with the help of
anaesthetics applied topically to numb the throat area.
Muscle relaxing medications are also used.
Once the balloon is inside the stomach, it is immediately
filled with sterile saline through a small filling tube (catheter)
attached to the balloon. Once filled, the doctor removes the
catheter by gently pulling on the external end. The balloon
has a self-sealing valve, and at this point the balloon is
floating freely in the stomach.
Placement times vary but it will usually take 20-30 minutes,
after which you will be monitored by the physician for a
short time and then may return home.
Who Can Use the BIB® System?
The BIB® System is designed to assist with weight loss in
people who are at least 40% above their ideal weight (as
defined by the Metropolitan Life Insurance 1983 Weight and
Frame tables) and who have failed to obtain prolonged weight
loss with other weight control programs.
The BIB® System may be particularly useful for people
considered too overweight or at increased risk for vital
surgery. The use of the BIB® System to successfully reduce
weight prior to surgery may help reduce the risks associated
with surgical procedures on overweight patients.
How Long Is the BIB® System Balloon Used?
The balloon currently can be used for six months. Longer
periods of use are not recommended. Over time the acidic
content of the stomach will weaken the balloon material and
cause the balloon to deflate. Should your physician
recommend use of the balloon for longer than six months, it
is necessary that the balloon be replaced with a new one
when the six-month interval has been met.
While you are using the balloon, your physician may
prescribe a course of oral medication to reduce your stomach
acid (this may reduce the possibility of stomach irritation
and damage to the balloon).
What Happens if the BIB® System Balloon Deflates
Spontaneously?
If the balloon deflates before a scheduled removal you may
or may not be aware that it has occurred. Your physician may
place a coloured dye inside the balloon in order to help you
clearly identify early deflation by a change in the colour
of your urine.
The balloon is small enough that it may pass through the
intestines and leave the body naturally, but there have been
some cases in which it has had to be removed from the bowel
surgically. If you suspect a deflation, you must notify your
physician immediately.
How Will the BIB® System Balloon Be Removed?
The balloon is normally removed in the same way it was
placed, via the oesophagus and mouth. Prior to removal, you
will be given a muscle relaxant and a topical anaesthetic
will be applied to numb the throat. Using an endoscopic
camera, the physician will introduce a catheter through the
mouth and into the stomach. The balloon will then be
punctured and deflated. Once the balloon is deflated it can
be grasped and removed.
How Much Weight Will I Lose with the BIB® System?
It is important for you to understand that the BIB® System
is an aid to weight loss and must be used in conjunction
with a prescribed diet and behaviour modification program.
Therefore, the amount of weight you lose will depend on how
closely you follow your diet. How long you maintain weight
loss will depend on how completely you adopt long-term
lifestyle changes involving eating behaviour and exercise.
Will I Regain My Weight after the BIB® System Balloon Is
Removed?
Because the balloon in the stomach creates a feeling of
fullness, it acts as an aid to weight reduction and may help
you to adhere to a prescribed diet. You will have a much
greater chance of maintaining your weight loss after balloon
removal if you maintain and improve the diet and behaviour
changes you made while using the balloon.
What Unpleasant Effects Are Possible with the BIB® System?
It is very likely that the presence of the balloon in the
stomach will cause nausea or vomiting for a few days after
placement. Your physician can prescribe medication to
alleviate these potential effects.
There exists the possibility that you will lose only a small
amount of weight or lose no weight at all while using the
balloon. Of course, as stated earlier, your commitment to
dietary and behavioural changes is a pivotal factor in the
outcome.
There is also the chance that unhealthy, uncontrolled weight
loss will occur and create adverse health consequences. Be
sure to speak with your physician about this.
Printable Documents
INAMED Health is committed to providing detailed information
on our obesity treatments, patient options, and devices used
in these procedures. Available for your review in PDF format
are additional BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon (BIB®)
System materials including patient information.
If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can
download it free.
Halil
COSKUN MD |
