Description
Weight loss surgery includes a variety of procedures performed on people who are obese. Weight loss can be achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with a gastric band or through removal of a portion of the stomach. An alternative to surgery is the use of a Intragastric balloon (gastric balloon).
The gastric balloon procedure involves placing a deflated balloon into the stomach, and then filling it to decrease the amount of gastric space. This causes the patient to feel full sooner, therefore consuming less food. Some gastric balloon procedures require sedation for placement, while others do not.