Incomplete small bowel obstruction by the Garren-Edwards gastric bubble necessitating surgical intervention

A 39-yr-old woman was treated with Garren-Edwards gastric bubble, a new nonsurgical device for the treatment of obesity. The patient did well for 31/2 months before presenting with a partial small bowel obstruction caused by a spontaneously deflated bubble. After several days of observation and therapeutic maneuvers, a partially deflated bubble was removed surgically. Although the patient had had previous abdominal surgery, she had no adhesions that were considered contributory to the obstructive process at surgery; the deflated bubble did not deflate enough to traverse the distal ileum. This case represents the first case of bowel obstruction by this device in a patient with a "normal" intestinal tract. Patients considering placement of a Garren-Edwards gastric bubble must be fully informed of this potential complication even when there has been no prior abdominal surgery.