September 28, 2016 – Balloons

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Anchor lead:  Two new balloon devices for weight loss have recently been approved by the FDA, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Can having a balloon-like device placed in your stomach help in weight loss?  The FDA has recently approved two new such devices for just that purpose.  Tony Kalloo, director of gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins, says the balloons join a range of treatment options that can be utilized without traditional surgical approaches.

Kalloo: We have developed several noninvasive programs that use endoscopy as the mode of treatment.  The goal of endoscopy is to try to simulate some of the surgical procedures without having surgery. One particular procedure is placing a balloon, and now the FDA has approved two different types of balloons that we place inside the stomach that simulates the presence of food.  Because you have this device in your stomach you feel full faster after eating and patients lose weight.   :31

Kalloo says the weight loss achieved with these balloons is not as great as that with gastric bypass but the procedure is much easier. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.