Efficacy and safety of intragastric balloon for obesity in Korea

Abstract

Background/Aims: Intragastric balloon (IGB) is the only available endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapy in Korea. End-ball (Endalis) has the longest history of clinical use among the IGBs available in Korea. However, little clinical data on this system have been reported. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of End-ball in Korea. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent IGB insertion (End-ball) from 2013 to 2019. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected. The efficacy and safety of IGB treatment were analyzed. Results: In total, 80 patients were included. Mean age was 33.7 years and 83.8% were female. Initial body mass index was 34.48±4.69 kg/m 2 . Body mass index reduction was 3.72±2.63 (kg/m 2 ) at the time of IGB removal. Percent of total body weight loss (%TBWL) was 10.76%±6.76%. Percentage excess body weight loss was 43.67%±27.59%. Most adverse events were minor, and 71.4% of participants showed nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Conclusions: IGB treatment showed good efficacy and safety profile in Korean patients with obesity. In terms of %TBWL and percentage excess body weight loss, the efficacy was similar to that in the Western population.

How effective is intragastric balloon insertion as an obesity treatment in Korea?

“… 9 In a retrospective cohort study of 80 patients with a BMI of ≥30 kg/m 2 that was published in 2022, the %TWL and %EWL were 10.8%±6.8% and 43.7%±27.6%, respectively. 10 The majority of the participants in the study (71.4%) experienced nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain; however, there were no serious adverse events. All three previous studies showed good short-term efficacy of IGB insertion in Korean patients with obesity.…”

Laparoscopy-assisted trans-hiatal endoscopic removal of an intragastric balloon after placement-related esophageal perforation

“…Intragastric balloon placement is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure for the treatment of obesity 1 2 . Severe adverse events such as gastric perforation, migration, and intestinal obstruction, albeit rare, may occur 3 4 ; esophageal perforation due to balloon insertion has been reported in only a handful of cases 5 .…”

“…Intragastric balloon placement is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure for the treatment of obesity [1,2]. Severe adverse events such as gastric perforation, migration, and intestinal obstruction, albeit rare, may occur [3,4]; esophageal perforation due to balloon insertion has been reported in only a handful of cases [5]. A 29-year-old man (body mass index [BMI] 44 kg/m 2 ) presented with acute chest pain and abrupt onset respiratory failure during the endoscopic placement of an intragastric balloon (BioEnterics intragastric balloon [BIB]) in another hospital.…”