Intragastric Balloon
An intragastric balloon is a soft silicone balloon placed in the stomach through the mouth that takes up space, helping you feel full sooner and eat less.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
An intragastric balloon is a temporary, non-surgical weight-loss device. A soft silicone balloon is inserted into the stomach through the mouth using an endoscope and then filled with sterile saline so that it occupies space inside the stomach. This makes meals feel filling sooner and limits how much can comfortably be eaten at one sitting. The balloon is removed after about six months, so it works best as a bridge that helps patients build lasting eating and activity habits rather than as a permanent solution.
Medical
Clinical Definition
Intragastric balloon therapy is an endoscopic, space-occupying procedure in which a saline- or gas-filled silicone balloon (typically several hundred millilitres in volume) is placed in the gastric fundus to slow gastric emptying and enhance early satiety. Used as a short-term adjunct to structured lifestyle intervention for roughly six months, it is associated with mean weight loss of approximately 10% of total body weight over the treatment period, with wide individual variation. Common early effects include nausea, vomiting and upper abdominal discomfort; rare but serious risks include spontaneous deflation with bowel obstruction, gastric ulceration and perforation. The balloon must be removed endoscopically, and the device is contraindicated in significant hiatal hernia, previous gastric surgery and severe coagulopathy.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
An intragastric balloon is not a shortcut — it buys time for habits to change. During consultations we assess whether the procedure is suitable, coordinate the gastroenterology referral, and build the eating and exercise plan that will keep the weight off after the balloon is removed.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: September 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
