For the past 30 years, gastric balloons have helped hundreds of thousands of people lose weight with a 15-minute non-surgical outpatient procedure. The idea for developing an adjustable gastric balloon was triggered by two main challenges the industry has been facing,” says Dr. Jeffrey Brooks, CEO and inventor of the Spatz3 adjustable balloon. This isn’t an easy diet method to swallow, but the gastric balloon is a proven physical procedure to help patients shed that stubborn 10kg of weight – if they’re desperate and determined enough.
However, the outcomes can also be quite variable, as some patients do not lose any significant amount of weight at all, he notes. “This may be related to the filling volume of the balloon, as this can range from anything between 400 and 700 ml. It is not easy to predict for a particular individual the optimal size that will give the best satiety effect. The stomach is a very stretchable hollow organ and it is the stimulation of the stretch receptors in the stomach that makes us feel full after a meal,” he explains.
Since last year, however, Dr Look has introduced the new adjustable device called the Spatzballoon which allows it to be accessed with the gastroscope and inflated (or deflated) to get the exact desired effect.
“This balloon is also safe for a longer period, of up to 12 months instead of just six months. This longer period of treatment, along with a few upward adjustments in size along the way, can lead to a higher success rate in terms of weight loss. Some clinical studies show about 50 per cent loss in excess weight for patients,” says Dr Look.
The gastric balloon is a technique that’s been around for about a decade in Singapore now, as a saline-filled silicone balloon that is inserted into the stomach from the mouth by a simple procedure using a gastroscope. It was designed to help weight loss for people with moderate obesity without surgery. The balloon is kept in the stomach for up to six months and then removed by puncturing, deflating and extracting the device with the gastroscope. The idea is that the balloon, filling up space in the stomach, would help one feel full faster when they eat, thus restricting calories.
Roughly, 10% of patients are intolerant to the balloon, requiring early extraction
Gastric balloons lose their effectiveness by approximately the 4th month post-implantation, and studies have shown that patients actually regain weight while the balloon is still implanted
The Spatz3 patented adjustability feature overcomes these two shortfalls
The FDA clinical trial results demonstrate how the adjustability feature helps intolerant patients avoid early extractions by reducing balloon volume. Furthermore, it proves that by increasing balloon volume after the 4th month, the Spatz3 balloon generated a 2nd round of weight loss. Together, these adjustability features result in:
For the first time, a safe non-surgical outpatient weight loss treatment approaches the results of bariatric surgery.
According to Dr. Jeffrey Brooks, CEO and inventor of Spatz:
“We are dedicated to helping people lose weight and achieve their health goals. The FDA mITT trials (modified intention to treat) are considered the most reliable clinical data in the medical world. Since all 5 gastric balloons underwent the same stringent FDA process, the medical industry appreciates these as the closest to head-to-head comparisons. I take pride in the results that prove Spatz Adjustable Balloon procedure delivers the most effective, safe, non-surgical treatment for obesity to-date.”
According to Ariel Nezry, VP Marketing at Spatz:
“The outstanding results comparing Spatz to the competition (from 50% to 100% difference) confirm that the Spatz3 positions itself in a category of its own. Adjustability is a breakthrough for Spatz Medical and a huge benefit to patients and physicians seeking a safe and clinically effective solution to obesity. We look forward to expanding our foothold in the global market and reinforcing our position as the world’s premiere developer of an adjustable balloon”.
Spatz FGIA, Inc. develops and markets the Spatz3 Gastric Balloon, an all-new category of Adjustable, Gastric Balloons for the treatment of obese and overweight patients. The Spatz3 is the only volume-adjustable balloon system in the market that can remain in the patient’s stomach for an extended period of time.
