drmarinakurian

Frequently Asked Balloon Questions:

Dr. Marina Kurian is the first surgeon in the United States to be trained on the Orbera balloon. She is excited about adding the balloon to the armamentarium of weight loss methods that she offers. She also feels the Orbera is a great way to get people back on track for their life of health and wellbeing and off the path of obesity.

What is the balloon made of? Can I be allergic?

The balloon is made of silicone and it is very soft even when filled with saline. It is extremely unlikely that you can be allergic to it.

What is the expected weight loss?

With the gastric balloon, expect a weight loss of 30% of excess weight on average. Some people lose more and some people lose less. Speak with Dr Kurian regarding what you can expect.

What are some of the side effects?

Within a day or two of balloon placement, you can experience some nausea. Dr. Kurian will have certain medications prescribed for you to minimize this effect. Your appetite will be diminished. You may also experience a spasm type pain in your upper abdomen. Dr. Kurian will give you a medication to counter this symptom. Your diet will be liquids for the first week and then pureed and soft foods to ease into having the balloon in your stomach. Dr Kurian and her dietitian will have a protocol for you to follow.

Why do I have to have the balloon removed?

The balloon is a foreign body and cannot stay in your stomach forever. The studies show that after 6 months, the chance of infection increases substantially, putting you at risk for infection. The cost of the whole program includes balloon removal and the anesthesia associated with the second procedure. You CAN NOT keep a balloon for longer than 6 months.

Will I gain weight back once the balloon is out?

Dr. Kurian’s gastric balloon program for obesity management includes a year of dietary care. Following a dietary regimen as well as behavior modification with a more active lifestyle is necessary for longterm maintenance of weight lost. If you fall back into old habits or poor eating behavior, the weight can come back.

What kind of anesthesia will I need for the procedure?

For the initial endoscopy and placement of the balloon, intravenous sedation will be administered by an anesthesia professional. For the balloon removal, a short general anesthesia is used. Both placement and removal are generally under 30 minutes. You will need someone to take you home after placement and removal of the balloon.

Call Dr. Kurian for an appointment at 855-587-4261 to take the next step! Be in control of your weight with expert help. The Orbera or intragastric balloon is a novel way for you to get rid of that excess weight and live the healthy life you deserve to lead.

Click on the links below to see recent articles and press releases for Dr. Kurian:

http://www.surgicalproductsmag.com/articles/2015/08/gastric-balloons-what-history-taught-us-and-how-they-work

From SAGES:

FDA Approval of ReShape™ Dual Balloon Marks Significant Step for the Weight Loss Program in Helping at Risk Group of Patients Obesity is on the rise and is a worldwide epidemic. A recent Lancet study noted that the chance of an obese person becoming normal weight is less than .5%.  Currently in the United States, the obese population outnumbers the overweight population. Bariatric surgery helps patients with severe obesity in terms of weight loss, reduction in severity and number of comorbid conditions. This week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the ReShape™ Integrated Dual Balloon System (ReShape™ Dual Balloon) to treat obesity without the need for invasive surgery. “There are few treatments available for obese patients and the FDA approval of the ReShape™ Dual Balloon significantly increases the armamentarium of weight loss programs in helping this at risk group of patients,” said Dr. Marina Kurian, Chair of SAGES Endoscopic Bariatric Task Force and Bariatric Surgeon at New York University Langone Medical Center. Intragastric balloons are a non-surgical treatment option for patients, different than current therapies, but should be offered in a comprehensive bariatric care center to promote the best outcomes.  In an outpatient setting, interventional endoscopists will be able to place this non-surgical device. Many patients may receive this as a primary treatment for obesity and others may use this temporarily as a bridge to safer laparoscopic surgery. The success of the gastric balloon is impacted by patient follow up and dietary guidance. The intragastric balloon is a six month intervention at which point it is removed. Patients remain in a structured dietary program for a year so that weight lost is maintained. The balloon has been approved for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 to 40 with unsuccessful attempts at weight loss and should be placed for obese patients enrolled in a structured weight loss program. According to Dr. Matthew Kroh, co-chair of SAGES Endoscopic Bariatric Task Force and Director of Surgical Endoscopy at the Cleveland Clinic, “The introduction of intragastric balloon therapy for Americans will allow patients access to a minimally invasive non-surgical approach to treat obesity and weight related disease. Overall, the FDA approval of the balloon is an important aid in the battle to stem the tide of obesity.” Additional information on the FDA approval of the ReShape™ Dual Balloon can be found at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/N FDA Approves Non-Surgical Solution ORBERA™ To Assist Patients With Weight Loss The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the ORBERA™ Intragastric Balloon to assist adult patients suffering from obesity in losing and maintaining weight loss. Obesity affects more than 78.6 million U.S. adults and is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S. In 2008, an estimated $147 billion was spent in medical costs for obesity. If obesity trends continue, it’s estimated that related medical costs could rise by $43 to $66 billion each year in the U.S. by 2030.   “In light of the obesity epidemic, it’s promising to see such innovative weight loss solutions like ORBERA™ being made available to patients suffering from obesity who are not appropriate for or considering invasive surgery,” said Dr. Marina Kurian, Chair of SAGES Endoscopic Bariatric Task Force and Bariatric Surgeon at New York University Langone Medical Center.   ORBERA™ is an incision-less, non-surgical weight loss solution designed for adult patients suffering from obesity, but for whom diet and exercise or pharmaceutical interventions have not worked. In a non-surgical (endoscopic) procedure done under a mild sedative, the thin and deflated ORBERA™ balloon is placed into the stomach. It is then filled with saline until it’s about the size of a grapefruit. The procedure typically takes about 20 to 30 minutes and the patient can generally go home the same day. At six months, through another non-surgical procedure done under a mild sedative, the ORBERA™ balloon is deflated and then removed.   “Obesity is a chronic disease and the development of new, minimally invasive solutions, can possibly help stem this epidemic by treating patients before their disease progresses and requires further invasive procedures,” said Dr. Matthew Kroh, co-chair of SAGES Endoscopic Bariatric Task Force and Director of Surgical Endoscopy at the Cleveland Clinic. “Though intragastric balloons offer a non-surgical treatment option for patients, different than current therapies, they should always be offered in a comprehensive bariatric care center with proper patient follow up and dietary guidance to promote the best outcomes,” added Dr. Kroh. Interventional endoscopists can place ORBERA™ in an outpatient setting. Many patients may receive this as a primary treatment for obesity while others may use this temporarily as a bridge to safer laparoscopic surgery. The intragastric balloon is a six month intervention at which point it is removed. Patients remain in a structured dietary program for a year so that weight lost is maintained. The device has been approved for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30-40 with unsuccessful attempts at weight loss and should be placed for obese patients enrolled in a structured weight loss program. For additional information regarding ORBERA™, please visit www.ORBERA.com. SAGES has been at the forefront of best practices in endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery by researching, developing and disseminating the guidelines and training for standards of practice in surgical procedures. SAGES Guidelines for Clinical Application of Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery, were issued in 2008 and are a series of systematically developed statements to assist physicians’ and patients’ decisions about the appropriate use of laparoscopic surgery for obesity. Guidelines are available at http://www.sages.org/publications/guidelines/guidelines-for-clinical-application-of-laparoscopic-bariatric-surgery. About SAGES The mission of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) is to improve quality patient care through education, research, innovation and leadership, principally in gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery. SAGES is a leading surgical society, representing a worldwide community of over 6,000 surgeons that can bring minimal access surgery, endoscopy and emerging techniques to patients worldwide. The organization sets the clinical and educational guidelines on standards of practice in various procedures, critical to enhancing patient safety and health.

Something new in the treatment and prevention of obesity? Intragastric Balloons

The FDA has approved two new devices for weight loss. The devices are known as the Orbera and Reshape Dual Balloon or the intragastric balloons.

Balloons? Weight Loss? …Yes!

A soft, silicone balloon(s) is placed into the stomach endoscopically and then filled with sterile saline. Basically, the balloon takes up space, and you can’t eat as much food.

Endoscopy is something that is done commonly to evaluate the inside of the stomach. A small, thin tube with a camera (endoscope) on the end is placed into the mouth and down the esophagus into the stomach. Once the stomach is evaluated, the endoscope is pulled out, and the balloon is passed down into the stomach. The endoscope is passed again to check the position of the balloon, and then the balloon is inflated with sterile saline.

The balloon can only stay in the stomach for 6 months. After that, there is a risk of infection so it is important to get the balloon out by 6 months. During those six months, you are on a supervised diet, with scheduled meetings with a dietitian. The nutritional care is for a year with insertion of the balloon, so this will continue for the six months after the balloon is removed. Patients can expect to see an average of 30% of excess weight loss tho results can vary.

By staying on a healthy eating pattern and exercising (because the balloon won’t stop you from exercising), you can expect to keep the weight off for some time.

There is some nausea when the balloon is initially placed, and with medication, this nausea resolves. Then the stomach and you get used to the balloon, and continue on the journey of weight loss.

The FDA has approved the balloon for BMI 30-40. Make an appointment to discuss the balloon even if you feel you may be outside of this BMI range.