Non-surgical Treatments
What are the nonsurgical options in obesity treatment?
Non-surgical methods in the treatment of obesity are treatment programs including endoscopic weight loss drug-toxin application or gastric balloon applications, carried out under the control of a doctor and dietitian so that the patient can reach and maintain a healthy weight range. The aim of the program is to ensure a healthy transformation in the nutrition and lifestyle of the patient and to increase the quality of life with the help of the applied procedures.
What is gastric injection?
In the endoscopic method, the drug-toxin, which temporarily blocks the nerve conduction of the muscles, is injected into the stomach muscles at the appropriate dose. After the application, the movements of the stomach slow down and the digestion time of solid foods is prolonged. Effects such as early satiety, late hunger and loss of appetite help the patient to acquire healthy eating habits. The application alone does not cause weight loss, but it significantly increases the patient’s following the diet.
How is gastric injection applied?
Application is performed in the endoscopy unit. The procedure is performed under light anesthesia called sedation and is completely painless. After careful examination of the stomach surface endoscopically, drug is injected at 20 different points selected especially in the stomach exit and stomach entrance regions, where stomach muscles are mostly found. The procedure takes approximately 15 minutes and does not require hospitalization. The efficiency of the process is fully seen in 7-10 days and continues for about 4-6 months.
What are the advantages of gastric injection?
The most important advantage of the endoscopic weight loss drug-toxin application is that the procedure hardly affects daily life. No side effects are expected except bloating and mild cramps on the day of the procedure depending on the endoscopy procedure. The patient can easily continue his daily life within a few hours after the procedure. Patient can consume liquid food approximately 1 hour after the application. Liquid food is recommended for the first 3 days in order to maximize the efficiency of the procedure. During this process and throughout the program, the dietitian of our clinic will be with you for nutritional recommendations.
Who is eligible for gastric injection?
Endoscopic gastric injection method can be easily applied to all patients who intent to lose their excess weight and seek a comfortable solution for following the diet. In the detailed evaluation before the procedure, the procedure is decided after the endoscopic evaluation in patients with reflux, gastritis or ulcer complaints. In endoscopic evaluation, when there is a condition in the stomach that should be treated first, the procedure may be postponed for re-evaluation after treatment. This method is not suitable for patients who have undergone a surgical procedure in which the stomach exit is deactivated. The suitability of the procedure will be determined after a detailed evaluation with the doctor and dietitian in our clinic.
How much weight can I lose after gastric injection?
Endoscopic weight loss drug-toxin application will help you to lose 10% of your initial weight at the end of the 6-month program. The success of the program depends on the individual’s adaptation. The success rates of patient who do not neglect their dietitian controls throughout the process and who seriously implement the recommendations will undoubtedly be higher than others. In the meantime, we, Dr. Güven Görkem and his team will be providing the support you need.
What is gastric balloon?
Gastric Balloon is a medical product in the form of a balloon made of silicone or polyurethane material temporarily inserted in the stomach. Its effect is to provide satiety by taking up space in the stomach and to prolong the digestion time of solid foods in the stomach with mechanical effects. It is the most efficient method among non-surgical obesity treatments in terms of weight loss success. The aim is to enable patient to lose their excess weight easily with the help of a gastric balloon and to gain the ability to control weight by acquiring healthy eating habits in this process with the Gastric Balloon. What are the types of gastric balloons? How is gastric balloon applied?
Gastric balloon application methods differs according to the gastric residence time and the material from which they are produced. We will summmarize the gastric balloon applications for you. You can have more detailed information by reviewing the pages we prepared for each application in our website.
6-Month Endoscopic Gastric Balloon Application:
Gastric balloon made of silicone is inserted endoscopically and inflated with approximately 500 ml of blue dyed liquid. Balloon can stay in the stomach for 6 months. Gastric balloon should be removed endoscopically at the end of this period. Although the balloon stays in the stomach for 6 months, it gradually loses its efficiency after the 4th month.
12-Month Adjustable Gastric Balloon Application:
Balloon, inserted endoscopically and made of silicone, is inflated with 450-500 ml of blue dyed liquid in the first application. Adjustable Gastric Balloon can stay in the stomach for 12 months unlike the 6-month gastric balloon, and its volume can be increased up to 750-800 ml endoscopically, thanks to its ability to be adjusted when its efficiency decreases. It provides the patient with a dynamic process of 12 months thanks to this ability. Compared to 6-month silicone gastric balloons, weight loss success is higher.
Allurion Swallowable Gastric Balloon Application:
The biggest advantage of this application is that it does not require endoscopy and anesthesia. Allurion Gastric Balloon, produced from quite soft polyurethane material unlike other silicone gastric balloons, causes less stomach discomfort and nausea, vomiting and cramp complaints, which are common after gastric balloon applications, are less common in this application compared to others. It allows you to maintain the feeling of satiety and lose weight during the 16 weeks that the balloon stays in the stomach thanks to its elliptical structure produced in line with the stomach anatomy. Allurion Gastric Balloon opens after an average of 16 weeks and starts to leak liquid and is easily disposed from the body by natural means thanks to its soft structure and thin wall. Allurion Weight Loss Program, which your follow-up continues even after the balloon is disposed from the body, is a 6-month, comprehensive life change program with the help of a smart scale, smart watch, and the Allurion application that you can download to your phone and allow online follow-up convenience.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Gastric Balloon Application?
The biggest disadvantage of gastric balloon applications is the complaints of nausea, vomiting and cramps seen in the first 3-4 days after the application, which is defined as the period of getting used to the balloon. We have prepared special treatment protocols that are recommended to be applied about 1 week before the application and that you should continue after the application in order to minimize these complaints. Furthermore, following the nutritional recommendations prepared by our dietician after the application will provide convenience for you to control your complaints. The most important advantage of Gastric Balloon Applications is that they do not cause permanent changes in the body unlike obesity surgeries. In this way, patients who experience a consistent process when the program is completed can reach healthy weight ranges without surgery. However, the temporary efficiency of gastric balloon applications may be considered as a disadvantage in terms of weight regain. Especially, patients who cannot have permanent healthy eating habits within the efficiency period of the gastric balloon may face the risk of regaining the weight they lost in the long term. In this regard, the possibility of repeating gastric balloon applications to eligible patients when necessary can be considered as another advantage of gastric balloons.
Which patients are eligible for gastric balloon application?
Gastric Balloon application is a treatment method that can be applied to patients with a body mass index of 27 and above. In patients with reflux disease, gastritis or ulcer complaints, the procedure is determined after endoscopic evaluation. In the endoscopic evaluation, if there is a stomach condition that needs to be treated primarily, the procedure may be postponed for re-evaluation after the treatment. Also, this method cannot be applied technically for patients who have had gastric surgery before. Gastric balloon applications, which have different types and each of them have different advantages and disadvantages, are quite important for the treatment of obesity. Patient’s lifestyle, nutritional habits and expectations play an important role in determining the accurate gastric balloon application. Your eligibility for the procedure and which application may be more suitable for you will be determined after a detailed interview with Dr. Güven Görkem and the dieticians in his team, who are quite experienced in gastric balloon applications in Ankara.
How much weight can I lose with gastric balloon application?
Aim of the program is to help patient lose 15-25% of the weight before application. Weight loss success differs from patient to patient, depending on the type of gastric balloon to be preferred, therefore the period of the balloon’s efficiency, and most importantly, the patient’s compliance with the program. Throughout the process, as Dr. Güven Görkem and his team, our aim is to help you acquire the accurate eating habits permanently and to control your weight without the need for additional applications.
