Obesity treatment device

July 22, 2018

Dubai: One hundred obese or overweight individuals in the UAE have taken advantage of the new Ellipse Gastric Balloon to lose weight and decrease its associated medical conditions, according to Dr Wael Dahhan at Emirates Hospital.

“Obesity and being overweight is a major public health problem surrounding people in the Middle East. It can cause a wide range of illnesses, with diabetes being the most common. In addition, it can also lead to high blood sugar, high cholesterol, heart diseases, and strokes which are closely related to obesity. Factors such as genetics, lack of exercise and poor diet are all leading causes of weight gain which can also lead to serious consequences. As such, patients who suffer from weight issues have a good option to insert the Ellipse Capsule Balloon for accelerated and desired results, which helps as a jumpstart to lose weight and create a feeling of satiety in these individuals,” said Dr Wael Dahhan, Consultant, American Boarded Gastroenterologist at Emirates Hospital.

The Ellipse Balloon is an outpatient procedure which helps reach the right BMI. It is ingested inside a capsule that is attached to a tube. Once the doctor has checked if the balloon is in its place, it is filled up with almost a pint of water and the thin connected tube is then removed.

The entire procedure takes less than 20 minutes, eventually helping patients to lose up to 10-15 per cent of total body weight. As the procedure does not require endoscopy, surgery or anaesthesia, and it has a self-deflation valve which will open automatically after 4 months without the need for endoscopic retrieval, it makes it suitable for a larger population of patients not responding to diet and lifestyle treatment.

Studies show that people with BMIs higher than 30 have a greater risk of premature death compared to their healthy-weight peers. And losing just 5 to 10 per cent of total body weight — through diet, exercise, or weight loss inducing procedures — has been found to significantly improve health.

“Managing BMI can have a positive effect. A healthy BMI is below 25, and those with a BMI above 30 are obese, which can lead to several complications. While healthy diet and exercise are the best solutions to tackle weight, in some cases certain procedures are recommended to maintain the right BMI,” said Dr Wael Dahhan.

A 35-year-old French national, who underwent the Ellipse Gastric Balloon procedure, was one such patient. With a body mass index of 35, the French national had gained 30kg over the past 5 years due to being busy at work and following unhealthy eating habits and lack of regular exercises. Besides his obesity status he had a family history of hypertension. He was advised to lose weight. However, in spite of attempting several diets and exercise regimens, he couldn’t lose weight, leading him to eventually choose the Ellipse Gastric Balloon procedure which showed initial excellent results.

“The Ellipse Gastric Balloon procedure is a non-invasive procedure. However, patients are screened and advised about the process, its recovery and changes to adapt before the procedure is performed,” and the type of diet to follow especially the first week post placement, following with a designated dietician, is essential over a period of 4-6 months to achieve better results, added Dr Wael Dahhan.

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