Dr. Walter Medlin shows how a balloon is filled with saline solution during an Orbera Intragastric Balloon procedure at MountainStar Lone Peak Surgery Center in Draper on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.
Ravell Call, Deseret News
SANDY — A fairly new tool is available in the arsenal of weight loss surgeries, and one Utah doctor is saying the “microinvasive” technology is something to consider.
“Diets work when you’re on them, but as we age, our ability changes and it becomes more difficult to be successful at dieting,” said Dr. Walter Medlin, a bariatric surgeon at Lone Peak Surgery Center.
Medlin said a new intragastric procedure, which temporarily places a balloon filled with saline inside the stomach, can help people lose an average of 22 pounds and keep it off.
And that, he said, may be enough to help people who find themselves fighting the scale and feeling defeated by yo-yo dieting and various exercise regimens.
“The balloon is an empowering step with proven results that can build confidence,” Medlin said. “It can be effective in stopping the progression toward obesity, at which point more invasive treatments become necessary.”
For her entire adult life, 39-year-old Jennifer, of Logan, has battled obesity. It’s been discouraging for her, she said, because she likes being active and works hard at trying to be fit.
“I want to be happy with the way I feel,” said Jennifer, who asked not to be identified by her real name. “I want to be able to do things. Weight really holds a person back physically.”
She hasn’t told many people, but Jennifer had the balloon inserted by Medlin in December. Even though it is expensive and not covered by many insurances, she said, “it was worth it to me.”
She has lost 30 pounds so far, though research shows the first half of the process yields higher loss totals as the stomach gets accustomed to being full all the time.
“I wasn’t willing to wait until I got to that unhappy of a place,” Jennifer said.
The Orbera Intragastric Balloon is inserted for a period of six months, at which time it is removed in much the same way it was put in — through an endoscopic procedure lasting about 15 minutes. The “orb” aims to reinforce portion control, signalling to the body that it is no longer hungry. At that point, food should be eaten for survival purposes.
Side effects can include nausea and vomiting, among other minor issues, but compared with other options of surgical weight loss — including gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, bypass and others that include more invasive procedures — the risks from the balloon are quite limited, Medlin said.
A good candidate for the intragastric balloon procedure might have a body mass index between 30 and 40, or is 50 to 90 pounds overweight, but others can be evaluated for eligibility. Potential patients must also be willing to commit to a year-long behavioral and lifestyle change program, which includes guidance from professionals.
The inevitable weight loss caused by the intragastric balloon procedure, however, might preclude some people from qualifying for additional procedures down the road, Medlin said.
But, he said, options should be carefully considered, as not all methods are the same for people seeking potentially life-changing weight loss. He offers a consultation to help patients sift through available information.
“People don’t like to get cut, and people don’t like to spend money,” Medlin said.
Between taking diet pills, which he said isn’t very effective, and invasive surgery where a portion of a person’s stomach is removed or bowels redirected, the doctor said other less-invasive options offer great and often sustainable results.
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