Trends in the Utilization of Intragastric Balloons: a 5-Year Analysis of the MBSAQIP Registry

The use of intragastric balloons (IGBs) for the treatment of obesity was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2015. This study aims to characterize preoperative factors and outcomes of patients undergoing IGB therapy compared to bariatric surgery (non-IGB) and evaluate 5-year trends in IGB use.

A retrospective cohort study was performed by extracting data from the MBSAQIP registry between 2015 and 2019. All non-IGB and IGB procedures were included while revisional and emergency surgeries were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of patient selection for IGB therapy.

Of 652,927 patients identified, only 2910 (0.4%) underwent IGB therapy. Patients who underwent IGB therapy were older (46.7 ± 11.4 years vs 44.4 ± 12.0 years; p < 0.0001), had lower BMI at baseline (37.0 ± 6.2 kg/m² vs 45.3 ± 7.8 kg/m²; p < 0.0001), and were overall healthier with fewer comorbidities and better functional status. The rate of early nonoperative reintervention was higher in the IGB cohort (7.7% vs 1.1%; p < 0.0001). Age was the only significant predictor of selection for IGB therapy (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.24-1.37; p < 0.0001). The number of IGB procedures reported between 2016 and 2019 declined significantly (953 (0.62%) vs 418 (0.25%); p < 0.0001).

Appropriate indications for IGBs appear to be increasingly limited. The ongoing role of IGBs in the treatment of obesity is unclear given the safety and efficacy of modern bariatric surgery and new pharmacological agents for weight loss.