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UCI Health offers dual-balloon treatment alternative to bariatric surgery

ReShape™ Integrated Dual Balloon System reduces stomach capacity

July 29, 2015
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Dr. Ninh T. Nguyen

UCI Health now offers obese patients who are unwilling or ineligible for bariatric surgery an alternative weight loss treatment that involves inserting a dual balloon system into the stomach to reduce its capacity, for a feeling of fullness with less food. The ReShape™ Integrated Dual-Balloon System received FDA approval on July 28.

“The dual intragastric balloon treatment fills the gap between dieting and surgery,” said Dr. Ninh T. Nguyen, UCI Health chief gastrointestinal surgery. “Our obese patients who have not been able to lose weight through diet and exercise, but do not have a high enough BMI to qualify for bariatric surgery or would prefer a less invasive procedure, now have an alternative.”

Through a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure, the physician inserts an uninflated ReShape dual-balloon system into the stomach through the mouth and esophagus. The balloons, connected by a flexible shaft, are inflated with saline and remain in the stomach for six months. The dual balloon design better conforms to the stomach’s natural curve for greater patient comfort, and also reduces the risk of a deflated balloon slipping and migrating to the intestine, where it can cause blockage.

During this time and for six months after removal, patients receive frequent in-office coaching sessions to learn healthy eating and exercise habits that will continue to be part of their daily routine beyond the treatment period.

“Obesity is a complex condition, and this treatment option offers our patients a safe and effective supplement to diet and exercise,” said Nguyen, past president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

Prior to approval, an FDA clinical study of 326 patients was conducted at eight sites across the country. Patients with ReShape experienced 2.3 times more excess weight loss at six months compared to those who followed the diet and exercise program alone. In the clinical trial, patients lost up to 72 pounds in 12 months.

Call UCI Health Bariatric Surgery Services at 888-717-4463 for more information about the intragastric dual-balloon system.

UCI Health comprises the clinical, medical education and research enterprises of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at physician offices throughout Orange County and at its main campus, UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif., a 411-bed acute care hospital that provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, behavioral health and rehabilitation. U.S. News & World Report has listed it among America’s Best Hospitals for 15 consecutive years. UC Irvine Medical Center is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, Level I trauma center and Level II pediatric trauma center, and is the primary teaching hospital for UC Irvine School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of more than 3 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the University of California, Irvine: Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, UC Irvine is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, The university has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It is located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $4.8 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.