Gastric balloon is one of the obesity treatments, which is produced from polyurethane or silicone material and is placed in the stomach before being inflated and inflated with sterile liquid. The application is non-surgical but placed under endoscopy or anesthesia.
What is Gastric Balloon and Who Is It Applied?
The gastric balloon is a balloon that takes up space in the stomach of the patients, giving a feeling of fullness and allowing less food to be eaten. Gastric balloon applications were started in the 80s and are still continuing today. It is a frequently preferred operation in cases of overweight and obesity.
Depending on the type of gastric balloon, it stays in the stomach between 4 months and 12 months. In order not to gain weight, it is important to pay attention to nutrition after the gastric balloon is removed. In general, people between the ages of 18-70 who have weight problems can be fitted with a gastric balloon. However, having a body mass index of 27 and above is a necessary condition for the operation.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Gastric Balloon?
Gastric balloon has both advantages and disadvantages. Among its advantages are that it can be installed in a very short time under hospital conditions and its application is easy and painless. After gastric balloon operation, hospitalization is not required and patients can return to their normal lives. In addition, the patient can leave the hospital at any time.
The disadvantages of gastric balloon are reflux after the operation and nausea and vomiting may occur between the first 3 days and 7 days. In the early process, it is possible for patients to develop stomach cramps. Gastric balloon is a temporary procedure and when it is removed, weight can be gained if the old eating habits are returned.
Therefore, it is necessary to be careful in order to maintain the eating habits and not to gain weight. The amount of weight is also less than other stomach surgeries.
What are Gastric Balloon Harms and Risks?
Gastric balloon application was started in the 1980s and has continued to develop until today. In this process, studies have been carried out to eliminate the damages and risks. Like many operations, it is possible to encounter some complications after gastric balloon surgery. During the endoscopic gastric balloon, the stomach or the esophagus may be damaged, resulting in discomfort such as ulcers.
Complications after the application are as curious as the risks of the application. In the first period, patients may experience nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and weakness. In later periods, there may be reflux, bloating, heartburn, foul-smelling belching, and decreased stools with reduced bowel movements. In general, these are considered temporary as they do not require immediate intervention, but if the balloon deflates in the stomach, immediate intervention is required.
How Should Nutrition Be After Gastric Balloon?
It is important to lose a healthy weight by changing nutrition and eating habits after gastric balloon surgery. It is necessary to implement the program given by the dietitian and to advance the process in a healthy way. During this period, patients are expected to have a protein-rich diet and to maintain this habit.
There should not be a long wait between meals, and when patients crave sweets, they should put fruit in yoghurt to meet this need. The foods eaten should be without added sugar and rich in protein. It is necessary to chew the food as much as possible and to keep the eating time away from the digestive point of view.
Liquid consumption should be avoided during meals. If you want to consume liquid, it should be consumed half an hour after the meal. It is important to prefer low-fat cooking methods such as boiling and steaming. Salty and spicy foods should be avoided in order to avoid stomach problems.
Drinks that are sugar-free, calorie-free and caffeine-free should be preferred. It is necessary to drink 1-1.5 liters of water every day and to avoid alcohol consumption. In the meals, it is necessary to consume protein first and to consume fruit as the last choice.
