Swallow This FDA-Approved Balloon and Lose Weight
One medical device company is taking an easy approach to weight loss. Privately held Apollo Endosurgery developed a non-surgical procedure in which a patient swallows a tiny balloon that is inflated with saline inside the stomach.
“It’s small and slender. It’s inserted by a physician into your stomach under sedation. It’s filled up inside the stomach and then the patient has the balloon in for 6 months,” said Apollo Endosurgery President Dennis McWilliams to the FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney.
According to McWilliams the procedure promotes healthier eating habits which in turn keeps the weight off after the balloon is removed.
“The typical patient will lose anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds. Some people can lose more than that. It really depends on the diet and exercise program that’s around the patient as they have the balloon in,” said McWilliams.
While patients experience nausea within the first week, the rates of gastric ulcer’s is very low.
The procedure is FDA approved , costs $6,000 to $8,000 and has already treated more than 2,000 people worldwide.