Orbera

ORBERA

Is a gastric balloon made of silicone that works by reducing the amount of food you can eat at each meal. Dr. Ibegbu places it in your stomach so you can learn to eat healthier portion sizes. In most cases, the balloon will remain in your stomach for six months.

Placing the balloon
The entire non-surgical, outpatient procedure takes about 20 minutes.

First, a diagnostic endoscopy is done to ensure that it is safe to perform the procedure. Once you are mildly sedated and comfortable, the procedure can begin.

The deflated gastric balloon is inserted through the esophagus and into your stomach. A syringe is then used to fill the balloon, with a sterile saline solution, to about the size of a grapefruit.

Changing your habits

For the next six months the Orbera® balloon is inside your stomach, reducing the amount you can eat, and re-training your brain to better anticipate when your stomach is getting full.

It’s during this time that open and constant communication with your support team is crucial to maximizing the benefits of Orbera®. This means regular face-to-face sessions with your treatment team, dietician, fitness trainer, psychologist and doctor.

During these first six months, with the stomach balloon and support team working in tandem, patients see the most drastic results – Losing 20 to 50 pounds (sometimes even more).

Why is it dangerous to carry excess weight?
If you’re heavier than you should be, you’re putting yourself at risk of developing other health problems that significantly reduce your quality of life. Some of these complications can even be fatal. Complications of being overweight include a higher risk of:

• Certain cancers, including breast cancer
• Back pain
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Stroke

In many cases, being overweight will also affect your mental health. If you’re carrying too much weight, you may deal with low self-esteem, depression, and other such issues.

How do patients know if they need to lose weight?

One of the easiest ways to figure out if you may need to lose weight is to calculate your body mass index, or BMI. To calculate this number, you’ll need your current height and weight. If your BMI is 25 or more, you may need to lose weight. If your BMI is 30 or more, weight loss is even more important.

What is nonsurgical weight loss?

Nonsurgical weight loss is a method of weight loss that doesn’t require major surgery. It’s safer and less invasive than surgical weight loss options, allowing you to lose weight quickly without worrying about serious side effects or complications.

How can a doctor help?

Dr. Ibegbu offers the Orbera non-surgical weight loss option.