Research has shown that obesity lowers life expectancy by up to seven years and costs the NHS £5 billion a year.
Having a balloon inflated in the stomach can lead to significant weight loss with few side effects, according to one of the largest ever studies to assess the technique. The gastric balloon – which is inserted in a procedure taking around 15 minutes – is highly effective at reducing appetite.
The technology has been available for some years and evidence shows that it is a safe alternative to weight loss surgery and is more suitable for moderately obese patients.
Professor Nadey Hakim, a consultant surgeon who works with the National Obesity Surgery Centre, performs both the gastric balloon technique and the gastric band. He says “The gastric balloon placement is a very simple, non-invasive procedure. The technique’s popularity has increased because more people are aware of its existence and it doesn’t have the side effects of surgery”
Daily Mail
NOSC View
We have been placing gastric balloons for a period of 7 years and we have had some outstanding results. We have many, many patients who have lost their weight and have managed to keep it off for a period of years. The gastric balloon is a powerful weight loss aid but it is the attention to detail involved in the support and behavioural programmes that really make the difference.
