Usefulness of the ReShape intragastric balloon for obesity

Intragastric balloon (IGB) is approved for weight reduction in obesity patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 to 40 kg/m². The effectiveness of IGB in various degrees of obesity is not well established. We aimed to study the effect and safety of IGB in different groups of obese patients. A retrospective study was performed. All patients who underwent placement of the ReShape™ gastric balloon and completed a 6-month follow-up were included. There were 35 gastric balloons in 34 patients who had a baseline body weight of 106.5 ± 23.5 kg and a BMI of 37.1 ± 5.5 kg/m². After IGB removal, total body weight was reduced 6.8 ± 7.3% (P <  0.001) and the BMI reduction was 2.7 ± 2.9 kg/m² (P <  0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with BMI >40 kg/m² also had significant reduction of total body weight and BMI. The diastolic blood pressure was reduced by 4.7 ± 12.3 mm Hg (P =  0.03) after balloon removal. The most common complication was nausea in 22.9%. One patient had balloon migration leading to small bowel obstruction. One patient had a bleeding gastric ulcer. In summary, IGBs are an effective method to assist in weight loss in patients with various degrees of obesity, even with a BMI >40 kg/m², with minor adverse effects.