Non-Surgical Treatment for Obesity - Orbera 360
Operation Description
Orbera 360 is part of the Orbera Intragastric Balloon System and represents a non-invasive method for treating obesity through an intragastric balloon.
What is Orbera 360, a weight-loss balloon?
This system involves placing a balloon inside the stomach, reducing its capacity and enabling a feeling of fullness after smaller meals. This reduces appetite and food cravings, leading to weight loss. The balloon is made of high-quality silicone, entirely safe for contact with the stomach lining. This method is temporary and, after approximately 6 months, the balloon is removed from the stomach. The result of this intervention is the consumption of smaller amounts of food, reduced hunger, and consequently, weight loss.
Candidates
Non-surgical treatment for obesity is suitable for:
- Obese individuals
- Individuals who want to address obesity in a minimally invasive way
- Individuals who have not succeeded in losing weight through diet and physical activity
- Severely obese individuals undergoing surgery for which weight loss is required
Preparation
Before the procedure, a specialist in internal medicine will examine the esophagus and stomach to ensure the intervention can be carried out. Since the operation is performed under general anesthesia, an examination, and approval from an internist are necessary. It is recommended to quit smoking a month before the surgery and to stop taking aspirin and herbal supplements that can affect blood coagulation two weeks before the surgery.
The day before the intervention, the diet should be light, without overeating. Eight hours before the surgery, no food or liquids should be consumed.
Operation time
The stomach balloon is inserted through the mouth using an endoscopic camera. Initially, the balloon is empty, and in this deflated state, it is inserted into the stomach. When the surgeon positions it correctly, it is filled with a saline solution to a certain size that is sufficient to prevent it from going into the esophagus or intestines. Once the balloon is successfully placed, the intervention is completed. The duration of the surgery is about 20 minutes.
Recovery
The patient goes home after the procedure. Symptoms that may occur after the Orbera 360 insertion include nausea and a feeling of food sickness. It lasts during the first few days of recovery and soon subsides. During recovery, the diet has to be light, and the doctor will provide a special menu. Intense physical activity should be avoided during the first days after the balloon insertion. Patients coming from abroad for this intervention should know that traveling is allowed again 3 days after the procedure.
Safety precautions
Since Orbera 360 is a minimally invasive technique performed endoscopically, serious complications due to the intervention are very rare. If preoperative and postoperative doctor's advice is followed, any complications can be prevented.
To prevent the balloon from deflating in the stomach, it is essential to remove it on time, after 6 months. If the balloon happens to rupture in the stomach earlier, which is extremely rare, and its content - saline solution is entirely harmless, it is important only to remove the balloon remnants. If the stomach balloon is not well-tolerated by the body, and the patient experiences constant nausea or a vomiting reflex, which is also not a common occurrence, the balloon must be removed from the stomach.
Price
The cost of Orbera 360 - intragastric balloon insertion at Colić Special Hospital is 3000 €. Services included in the price are:
- Preoperative examination by an anesthesiologist
- The surgery itself
- A short stay in the hospital
- Necessary medications
- Postoperative check-ups
What is not included in the price of the procedure is the initial examination with the doctor, blood and ECG tests, specialist examinations outside the hospital, costs before admission to the hospital, telephone costs, and medications that the patient takes at home before or after the procedure.
Refer to the exact price list for all services provided by Colić Hospital.