Obesity is one of the biggest public health problems in the world. According to the atlas of the World Obesity Federation released this year, 51% of the population will be obese or overweight by 2035. To try to resolve this scenario, there are several alternatives available on the market to help patients lose weight: the newest is the capsule-shaped balloon, which is swallowed by the user.
The swallowable intragastric balloon was approved by Anvisa in October 2022 and arrived in Brazil in February of this year. Doctor Fábio Miranda, postgraduate in general surgery and digestive endoscopy, was one of the first professionals to qualify and start the procedure in the country. According to him, the method is indicated not only for obese people, but also for people with slight overweight.
How do swallowable balloons work?
Among the treatment innovations, the swallowable balloon stands out primarily because it is a capsule that the patient swallows. The device underwent a change in its format and is now elliptical, providing better adaptation to the stomach. Miranda explains that the implantation procedure is done in a simple way, without the need for endoscopy, anesthesia or hospitalization.
“The patient swallows the capsule, which is connected to a catheter, with a sip of water. After swallowing, an x-ray is performed on the site to check the position of the capsule in the stomach and, through the catheter, the balloon is filled with 550 ml of a specific liquid”, explains the professional.
After this step, another x-ray is taken to confirm the position of the object. The entire procedure takes an average of 15 minutes. In the stomach, the balloon occupies an average of 30% of the organ, promoting satiety and facilitating the implementation of hypocaloric diets for more effective weight loss.
After four months, the object breaks up on its own and is eliminated through the patient’s feces, according to Miranda.
Monitoring and adaptation
Allied to the balloon, the weight loss program has the aid of a smartwatch and a smart scale to monitor the evolution of the treatment. The devices are connected to a digital platform, where the medical team can help and monitor the patient in a more personalized way.
According to the doctor, weight loss can reach 33% of the total weight. “In the first month, weight loss averages 6% of total body weight. In specific cases, the treatment can be extended for up to 18 months and it has a loss of approximately 33%, according to the discipline of each patient”, says Miranda.
The weight loss program with the swallowable balloon lasts six months and costs around R$ 18,000. In addition, all patients who opt for the method are followed up by a multidisciplinary team involving a doctor, nutritionist and psychologist.
Comfort and well-being
Businesswoman Érica Seabra, 39, says she weighed 94 kilos. She had already used the traditional intragastric balloon before, and lost 33 kg in one year. Recently, she opted to put on the swallowable balloon with Miranda.
The adaptation period for traditional versions lasts an average of three to five days. With swallowable balloons, this adjustment tends to be more favorable. Érica says that she felt the difference, and remembers that she had a very bad time in the adaptation phase before.
“On the sixth day with the other balloon, I felt a lot of abdominal pain, enormous pressure in the pit of my stomach, in addition to having a lot of nausea and vomiting episodes. With the swallowable, I had discomfort only in the first three days until the adaptation. After that, I didn’t even remember that I was with him”, he reveals.
The businesswoman says that, with just ten days of using the swallowable version, she managed to eliminate 6 kg.
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