# Gastric Balloon

> Citation bundle for Gastric Balloon on The Treatment Registry.
> URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/procedures/gastric-balloon
> Bundle URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/api/citations/procedures/gastric-balloon

- Category: weight-loss

## Description

A gastric balloon, also known as an intragastric balloon (IGB) or a stomach balloon, is an inflatable medical device that is temporarily placed into the stomach to help reduce weight. It is designed to help provide weight loss when diet and exercise have failed and surgery is not wanted by or recommended for the patient.

## Overview

A gastric balloon, also called an intragastric balloon (IGB) or stomach balloon, is an inflatable medical device that is temporarily placed into the stomach to help reduce weight. It is designed to support weight loss when diet and exercise have not worked and when surgery is not wanted by, or recommended for, the patient. The balloon takes up space in the stomach, which limits the amount of food it can hold; this induces weight loss by increasing satiety, delaying gastric emptying and reducing the amount eaten at each meal, creating an earlier feeling of fullness. It is positioned as an alternative to bariatric surgery, which is not generally offered to people with a body mass index below 35. The device is intended for people with a body mass index above 27, or between 30 and 40 with a weight-related co-morbidity. It should not be used in people with certain intestinal problems such as inflammatory bowel disease or delayed gastric emptying, in those who are pregnant, or in those taking blood-thinning medication such as Coumadin; low-dose aspirin (100 mg) is permitted. Results are strongly influenced by adherence to nutritional and dietary programmes, and long-term studies suggest better outcomes when balloon treatment is combined with exercise and a healthy diet.

## FAQs

### What is a gastric balloon?

It is an inflatable medical device, also known as an intragastric balloon, that is temporarily placed into the stomach to help reduce weight. It is designed to help when diet and exercise have failed and surgery is not wanted by or recommended for the patient.

### How does a gastric balloon help with weight loss?

The balloon takes up space in the stomach, limiting how much food it can hold. This increases satiety, delays gastric emptying and reduces the amount of food eaten at each meal, creating an early feeling of fullness that leads to reduced intake and weight loss.

### Who is a gastric balloon designed for?

It is intended for people with a body mass index above 27, or between 30 and 40 with a weight-related co-morbidity. It is offered as an alternative to bariatric surgery, which is not generally offered to people with a body mass index below 35, or to those who do not want to commit to surgery.

### Who should not have a gastric balloon?

It should not be used in people with certain intestinal problems such as inflammatory bowel disease or delayed gastric emptying, in those who are pregnant, or in those taking blood-thinning medication such as Coumadin. Low-dose aspirin (100 mg) is permitted.

### Is the balloon permanent?

No. A gastric balloon is a device that is temporarily placed into the stomach, rather than a permanent implant.

### How much weight can be lost?

Results depend heavily on diet and exercise. In an international study of the non-endoscopic Elipse balloon, patients achieved weight loss of 14.4 kg, or 13.9% of total body weight, after four months of treatment, and 95% of that loss was maintained at one-year follow-up.

## Alternative treatments

- **Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty** — More durable non-surgical alternative; sutured restriction outlasts balloon removal.
- **GLP-1 receptor agonists** — Pharmacological alternative without endoscopy or device retention.

## Sources

- [ASMBS — Clinical Practice Guidelines for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery](https://asmbs.org/resources/clinical-practice-guidelines) — American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (accessed 2026-06-29)