The manufacturer of the weight loss device ReShape Duo Balloon is now available in the United States after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approval!

ReShape Weight Loss Device

The ReShape Gastric Ballon Device is a non-surgical dual balloon system proven to increase weight loss results during the time the balloons are implanted. The dual balloon is made up of two parts of silicone balloons connected by a silicone tube. Saline salt water is used to fill them, and a blue dye shows up in your urine if it ruptures. The filled balloons are sealed with mineral oil. They take up space in your stomach for 6 months to help you lose weight. The objective of this simple procedure is to offer obese individuals who do not want to undergo weight loss surgery to have an alternative option that does not require surgery while still providing decent weight loss results.

How Does it Work?

The ReShape Duo Balloon works by being placed into a patient’s stomach using an endoscope, a non-surgical instrument guided down the patient’s esophagus with a tiny camera guiding it into the stomach. From there, it is inflated with saline that helps make the patient feel full after a modest calorie intake. There are no incisions or stitches needed for this outpatient surgical procedure. The procedure total takes about 20 minutes. Most patients complain of nausea as the common side effects that can last for a few days. Six months later, the balloon is removed with the same endoscopic surgical procedure.

ReShape Duo Gastric Balloon Procedure

Study of ReShape Duo Results

In the study of ReShape Duo results and effectiveness, 326 obese patients were evaluated in two different groups.

The first group of patients received the balloon, while the second group of patients underwent a sham endoscopic procedure. Patients in both groups participated in the same nutrition and exercise counseling/therapy throughout the study and for six months time period. It’s important to note that this study is ongoing, and the device’s manufacturer, ReShape Medical, will not and cannot release data. However, President and CEO Rick Thompson said that patients who had the balloon installed achieved a significantly greater percentage of weight loss than those in the sham group.

Reshape Duo Gastric Balloon Diagram

ReShape Duo Balloon Expected Weight Loss

In many instances, patients lost 25% or more of their excess weight.

According to the results of an earlier and smaller study, two-thirds of ReShape Duo Balloon patients kept weight off or continued to lose weight, which shows the benefits to the device and how it can outlast ordinary jumpstart weight loss programs. Based on these results, the company expects a U.S. launch of the product in mid to late 2015. The study’s researchers believe that even a 5% weight loss can significantly affect a patient’s overall health. However, 25% or more rates are impressive and not uncommon with the balloon and those studied.

This type of non-surgical gastric balloon procedure is designed in such a way as to reduce the migration risk that can happen when a balloon deflates and moves to the intestines, which causes a blockage. If this happens, the dye will be visible in the urine, which eliminates the risk of not knowing when a potential risk has occurred.

Who is Gastric Balloon for?

Many doctors, including Dr. Stanley Rogers, chief of minimally invasive procedures and director of the bariatric surgery center at UCSF, believe that the stomach balloons will play a role in patients needing to lose weight before surgeries such as gastric bypass. It also provides a safer weight loss route for those with many co-morbidities who are not candidates for surgery. The surgery may also be an excellent option for those who need to lose weight before joint replacement surgeries such as the knee or the hip. Their weight loss will help to reduce their risk of complications following surgery.

Related Resources