For the first time, a non-surgical gastric balloon that reduces stomach size to aid in weight loss is now offered on the NHS.
At Musgrove Park Hospital, which is a member of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, two patients underwent the procedure in November of last year. Three more patients are scheduled to undergo the treatment in February at the same trust.
The device's manufacturer, Allurion, has revealed it is in talks to expand the treatment's availability with other NHS trusts.
According to data, after treatment, individuals were able to maintain 95 per cent of their weight loss for a year.
But what is a gastric balloon and who is eligible to get it?
What is a gastric balloon treatment?
The Allurion balloon takes up a lot of room in your stomach, which effectively suppresses your appetite.
It is a non-surgical method of weight loss and the whole treatment takes 15 minutes.
It has been reported that swallowable gastric balloons are a successful treatment for obesity, and that they may enable patients to shed about one-third of their excess body weight.
Consultant bariatric surgeon at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Prof. Richard Welbourn, said: “People with severe obesity are prone to diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, which can be reversed with weight loss.
“We expect that patients using the programme will lose 10-15% of their weight in four months, which improves the quality of life and makes patients healthier.”
How is the gastric balloon inserted?
It doesn't involve surgery, endoscopy, or anaesthesia, in contrast to other gastric balloons that are offered by the NHS.
The patient swallows a capsule that is connected to a thin tube during the 15-minute treatment, which was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) in 2020.
After an X-ray verifies the proper position in the stomach, 550 ml of water is inserted through the tube into the balloon. The balloon is then checked to make sure it is full and positioned correctly in the stomach with a second X-ray. Next, the tube is taken out.
Following a four-month course of treatment, a valve opens, allowing the balloon to spontaneously deflate and move through the body.
Who eligible for a gastric balloon?
According to Allure weight loss, you must have a BMI of at least 27 for the Allurion balloon.
The NHS are only offering the 4-month treatment while private treatments of the gastric balloon surgery can offer up to 12 months.
The longer treatments are known by other names BiB and Orbera 365 and naturally require a higher BMI.
