Spanish Intragastric Balloon Consensus Statement (SIBC): practical guidelines based on experience of over 20 000...

Area of Science:

• Bariatric Endoscopy
• Obesity Management
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Intragastric balloons (IGBs) are a minimally invasive obesity treatment.
• Existing guidelines for IGB procedures are limited, with only one global standard.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop practical guidelines for intragastric balloon usage.
• To expand upon existing international IGB guidelines through a Spanish expert survey.

Main Methods:

• A 140-question survey was distributed to 21 experienced Spanish bariatric endoscopists.
• Consensus was established for topics including patient selection, technique, follow-up, safety, and financial aspects, defined as ≥70% agreement.

Main Results:

• Data from 20,680 intragastric balloon procedures were analyzed.
• Mean total body weight loss (%TBWL) was 17.66%.
• Low rates of adverse events (0.70% major, 6.37% minor complications) and early removal (3.62%) were reported.

Conclusions:

• This consensus provides practical recommendations for IGB procedures based on extensive data.
• Intragastric balloons achieve satisfactory weight loss with a low complication rate.
• The findings support the reproducibility and efficacy of IGBs in obesity management.