Outcomes of intragastric adjustable balloon (SPATZ) in the management of obesity: preliminary results

Introduction
Obesity has high incidence and prevalence all over the world. It is a major and serious problem that is associated with different comorbidities, affecting the lifestyle of obese patients and disease control. Different therapeutic options are encountered in the management of obese patients in an effective manner. Intragastric balloon is one of the minimal invasive procedures with accepted outcomes and results. This procedure became widely used and preferred on patient selection basis, and this encouraged different companies in the manufacturing of different types of balloon ranging from 6 to 12 months of intragastric duration.
Patients and methods
In a period of time from March 2018 to September 2019, 117 obese patients were managed by insertion of adjustable intragastric balloon (SPATZ) of 12-month duration of intragastric stay. The patients were observed for outcomes in terms of tolerability, efficacy in weight loss, and adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, hematemesis, gastric ulceration, rupture, and intestinal obstruction.
Results
Overall, 101/117 patients tolerated this adjustable balloon for 1 year. The preoperative BMI mean was 38.9±7.8 and decreased to 31.6±2.6 after 1 year duration of insertion. Follow-up for further 6 months after balloon removal showed BMI was noticed to be slightly elevated to 33.5±3.5. Gastric ulceration was noticed in nine patients within the first 3 months of insertion. A total of 16 patients did not complete follow-up for 12 months or more.
Conclusion
Intragastric adjustable SPATZ balloon is a good minimal invasive procedure for weight loss, with minimal and acceptable adverse effects. Slight weight regain was noticed within the following 6 months after balloon removal in less than 30% of patients, and acceptable satisfactory results were achieved in more than 65% of patients (patient satisfaction).