Lose weight for a whole year: it all starts with the 12-month intragastric balloon

With the Weight Doctors, you’ve never had a better opportunity to start your weight loss journey. Find out why we are the right partner for you to help you achieve your feel-good weight.

 

Exclusive to Weight Doctors UK is the volume-adjustable 12-month Spatz3 balloon

Many people find it difficult to find a balance between diet and exercise. In most cases, food and calorie intake is too high, and physical exercise is too low. This leads to an increase in weight and a decrease in self-satisfaction.  

Our medical specialists are here to help you regain this balance without the need for extreme diets or surgery that puts stress on the body. The gentle approach of the 12 month intragastric balloon reduces your food intake in a natural way that supports your motivation to lose weight. With our latest innovation, the Spatz3 intragastric balloon, Weight Doctors can now even flexibly adjust the volume of the balloon. This makes it possible to individually control the amount of reduction during your therapy, resulting in maximum weight loss. During your individual consultation, our team of weight loss experts will identify the best possible technology and put together the right package for you to maintain your desired weight over the long term.

 

Watch now: Our adjustable gastric balloon explaind in our Weight Doctors video

 

BENEFITS OF AN INTRAGASTRIC BALLOON FOR 12 MONTHS

Benefit #1
Noticeable results from day one. Expect to see the first weight loss results immediately after placement and up to 55lb in 1 year.

Benefit #2
An effective and minimally-invasive weight loss therapy. The balloon is placed endoscopically through the mouth and leaves no incisions or scars.

Benefit #3
More tailored support with the adjustable 12-month balloon (Spatz3). The volume of your balloon can be adjusted to positively influence your weight loss or reduce possible side-effects.

Advantage #4
Strong safety profile, low-risk and the highest safety-standards.

at a glance

Duration of the procedure

approx. 30 minutes

Tyoe of anesthesia

semi-conscious sedation

Stay

day-case procedure

Pain level

very low

Scarring

none

Sociable

after 3 – 4 days

Durabilty

365 days

Cost

from £ 5,250

The minimally invasive treatment for weight loss

The intragastric balloon is inserted into the stomach through the mouth and throat in an endoscopic procedure. Once inserted it is filled with a blue-coloured saline solution. 

This treatment offers many advantages in comparison to others: 

  • Minimally invasive, this non-surgical treatment leaves no permanent changes to the body 
  • The balloon remains inserted in the stomach for 12 months, time to make long-lasting changes 
  • Occupying a large portion of the stomach, the balloon is proven to be far more powerful than diet and exercise alone  
  • If you choose the adjustable 12-month balloon, the amount of fluid can be adjusted after the balloon has been placed. This allows the intragastric balloon to be tailored to your needs and minimises side effects such as nausea and vomiting. 

 

Watch now: The Gastric Balloon procedure is a kickstart to a controlled and fast weight loss journey

 

What does the treatment process look like?

The first step is to understand the details of the treatment with our specialist doctors in an individual consultation. Should you choose to undergo treatment, the balloon is inserted via endoscopy on an outpatient basis and shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes. During placement you will be sedated or receive a gentle anaesthesia to be as comfortable as possible. After staying in the clinic for about 1 hour for observation, you will be able to head home. The balloon can remain in place for 12 months to achieve better weight loss results than the 6-month intra-gastric balloon, given your continuous commitment to eating habits, diet and regular exercise. Our team of weight loss specialists will be available to support you through your weight loss journey. After 12 months, we’ll make an appointment with you to remove the balloon. This will take place under sedation on an outpatient basis, taking no longer than the time taken to originally insert it. 

 

Our patient Christine talks about her patient experience when she decided to undergo a Gastric Balloon procedure

 

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Orbera365 gastric ballooon

Orbera365TM  12-month gastric balloon

The Orbera365TM gastric balloon for 12 months is a soft silicone balloon filled with saline solution, occupying space in the stomach t creating a feeling of fullness and supporting reduced food intake. The balloon remains in the stomach for 12 months. When filled, it typically has a volume of around 500 to 700 cc. Imagine it to be the size of a grapefruit. 

Spatz3 Adjustable Gastric Balloon

Spatz3 adjustable gastric balloon

The unique technology of the adjustable Spatz3 gastric balloon has the added benefit of being able to optimise weight loss progress and overall experience with the balloon. It is the only gastric balloon that can be adjusted after being placed in the stomach – this is carried out during a further gastroscopy.  

Spatz3 adjustable gastric balloon

 

How does a volume adjustment support the 12-month treatment? 

As the body adapts to the balloon and weight loss occurs, the initial balloon volume may not provide the same level of effectiveness over time should you have a higher weight loss goal. Increasing the volume of the balloon (i.e. it takes up more space in the stomach) creates a consistent level of restriction and facilitates continued weight loss throughout the 12 months, preventing plateauing. On the other hand, the ability to reduce the balloons volume with an adjustment offers comfort should you struggle with ongoing gastric discomfort or have difficulty adjusting to the balloon. 

Weight loss continues after balloon adjustment

While results will vary from person to person, on average, patients treated with the Spatz3 adjustable gastric balloon can expect to lose a significant amount of weight, often in the range of 10% to 15% of their initial body weight. Studies have shown that, on average, patients were able to lose an additional 5.2% of their total body weight after a volume adjustment.  

Thanks to the innovative anchor system of the Spatz3 intragastric balloon an extra level of safety is achieved. The anchor removes the risk of the balloon slipping into the wider digestive tract e.g. in the rare event of the balloon emptying due to a defect. Should a defect occur, the anchor allows for easy removal and replacement via endoscopy.

 

Benefits of the 12-month intragastric balloon vs. comparable products

The 12-month intragastric balloon is a non-surgical treatment. This means no incisions, no scars, and no wounds to heal. For you, this means significantly less risk. Moreover, the temporary nature of the treatment gives you the flexibility to continue your new lifestyle even after the duration of the therapy, without any restrictive medical measures.  

Compared to other comparable products, the biggest benefit of the 12-month intragastric balloon is that you can wear it twice as long. With this treatment it’s now possible to take advantage of having a whole year to adapt and change your lifestyle and previous habits. This reduces the pressure for rapid weight loss and makes it easier to re-adapt and continue your journey once the balloon is removed.  


professor thomas hoelting, md

“Designed to be placed for 1 year, the 12-month gastric balloon is a real superstar amongst obesity treatments: easy to place, extremely flexible and long-lasting. This means a high success rate in the lifestyle changes our patients are looking for.”

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The 12-month intragastric balloon makes it possible for you to lose a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period of time. On top of this, the balloon helps you achieve long-lasting weight loss as it encourages you to commit to changes in your diet and lifestyle. Cravings, the constant feeling of being hungry and the dreaded yoyo-effect is reduced. Scientific studies have also shown that a 12-month gastric balloon can help you lose weight more sustainably and effectively than a diet.

An intragastric balloon is an aid for a permanent change in diet and lifestyle. Together with the Orbera365 technology and Spatz3 gastric balloon technology, we offer a variety of complementary approaches to help you achieve your weight loss goals. To get the most out of your treatment it is important that you commit to changing your lifestyle and leave behind your old habits. Together with the support of the Weight Doctors specialists you have the best chance of achieving the results you want from your treatment.

It will take a few days for your stomach to get used to the new balloon in place. This may cause an upset stomach, discomfort, nausea and vomiting. In most cases, these symptoms will pass after 3-5 days. The intragastric balloon will then give you a quicker feeling of satisfaction and reduce the feeling of hunger.

Patients with a BMI between 27 and 50 are eligible for the intragastric balloon. As with all weight loss treatment, you should feel you have exhausted other methods of weight loss first. You should be ready to commit to lifestyle and behaviour modification (diet and exercise) to maximise weight loss results with the intragastric balloon. Contact the Weight Doctors team now for an individual assessment of your eligibility.

The intragastric balloon is a very safe, non-surgical treatment carried out in a short and gentle endoscopy. After insertion it is normal for patients to experience some side effects, such as nausea, as the balloon begins to settle in the stomach. A specific post-procedure diet and medication will help to ease these initial symptoms. Long term, you can expect to go about your daily activities in a normal fashion whilst the balloon is in place – including all kinds of physical exercise. The most usual sensation reported is a feeling of fullness or heaviness in the stomach.

It is important to recognise that each weight loss journey is different. Ultimately, weight loss will vary depending on start weight, physical ability and commitment to change. Typically we see patients lose 2-4 stones before stabilising and learning to maintain this weight loss. Many patients have achieved considerably higher weight loss with this treatment. You’re not alone! The Weight Doctors team are here to support and give advice to patients to achieve the best possible results with this treatment.

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