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weight loss

Gastric Balloon

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.

By The Treatment Registry

Quick Facts

Price range
Varies by clinic
Recovery
Varies
Sessions
Varies
Category
weight loss
Anaesthesia
Varies
Min. stay abroad
Varies
Price Range (International)
Varies by clinic
Average Recovery
Varies
Typical Sessions
Varies
Category
weight loss

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.

Key Considerations

    Common Risks

      Detailed risk profile →

      Alternative treatments

      Other clinically reasonable options for the same condition. The right alternative depends on the patient's specific anatomy, comorbidities, and goals — discuss with a treating clinician rather than self-selecting from this list.

      Credentials a clinic should hold

      Specialty-board certifications and facility-level accreditations relevant to this procedure. Verify on the issuer's public register before booking — most issuers publish a searchable directory.

      • IFSO Centre of Excellence

        Issuer International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity

        Facility + surgical-team accreditation for bariatric surgery; requires minimum case volumes, multidisciplinary follow-up, and outcomes reporting.

        Verify on the issuer's register →

      Current clinical trials

      Ongoing research studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov whose intervention involves gastric balloon. This is a neutral pointer to public research — not an endorsement, not a recruitment drive, and not medical advice. Trial status changes often; confirm eligibility and current status with the study team via each record.

      Showing 6 recent ongoing studies. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov — all matching trials (U.S. National Library of Medicine, public domain). Retrieved 2026-08-02.

      Published research on complications after treatment abroad

      Papers indexed in Europe PMC whose title or abstract refers to Gastric Balloon in the context of medical travel together with complications or outcomes. Listing is a pointer to the literature — not a finding about any clinic, country or this procedure's safety, and not medical advice. Read the paper; abstracts are not summarised here.

      Source: Europe PMC (open REST API), query run 2026-10-04. see all matching records.

      Device safety notices

      Regulatory enforcement reports (US FDA) and medical safety alerts (UK MHRA) for device types used in Gastric Balloon. A notice concerns specific products or lots from a named manufacturer. It is not a finding about every device of this type, about any clinic, or about the safety of this procedure overall — open the linked notice to see its scope.

      Sources: openFDA device enforcement (public domain) · GOV.UK/MHRA medical safety alerts (Open Government Licence v3.0). Retrieved 2026-10-04. openFDA data is not intended for use in medical decision-making and has not been validated by the FDA for that purpose.

      Recovery Timeline

      Average recovery for Gastric Balloon is 0 days. Individual recovery varies — always follow your surgeon’s specific guidance.

      1. 01Day 0–1

        Immediate

        First 24–48 hours post-procedure. Monitoring, anaesthesia recovery, initial pain management. Most clinics expect you to remain on-site or nearby.

      2. 02Day 2–2

        Early recovery

        Wound care, swelling or bruising peaks, restricted activity. Typical window for follow-up visits and drain removal if applicable. Travel is usually not advised.

      3. 03Day 3–3

        Intermediate recovery

        Gradual return to non-strenuous daily activity. Many international patients fly home during this window. Surgeon may require medical clearance for long-haul travel.

      4. 04Day 4–0

        Full recovery

        Return to full activity, exercise, and work. Final results may still be settling. Final follow-up with local doctor recommended.

      Questions to Ask Your Clinic

        Browse all destinations offering Gastric Balloon →Detailed cost breakdown →

        Frequently Asked Questions

        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.

        Conditions treated

        Clinical conditions for which gastric balloon is a treatment-ladder option.

        Severe obesity with comorbidity

        Related Procedures

        Other weight loss procedures in our registry

        Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy)Roux-en-Y Gastric BypassMini Gastric BypassRevisional Bariatric SurgeryDuodenal SwitchSADI-SEndoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty

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