ROSLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y., Jan. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Since its FDA approval in August of this year, the gastric balloon has garnered tremendous interest from people looking for alternatives to weight loss surgery. Dr. Shawn Garber of New York Bariatric Group was one of the first in the U.S. to offer this procedure, and since then is by far the most experienced in gastric balloon placement in the U.S. since its FDA approval.
Dr. Garber is currently training physicians across the country in gastric balloon placement. As an expert in this cutting edge advancement in weight loss, he recently spoke at ObesityWeek 2015, the largest gathering in the world of health care professionals devoted to the care and understanding of the obese patient.
Dr. Garber explains, “The media attention has really helped to get the word out regarding this new advancement in weight loss. Since our People Magazine interview, we have more than doubled the number of procedures performed. Patients are losing significant weight and learning to keep the weight off. Additionally, patients who may have been hesitant to have surgery or simply weren’t candidates for surgery now have a non surgical weight loss option. We have the ability to see patients from across the country since we can offer virtual online nutrition and fitness counseling service through Endobariatric Consultants (www.endobari.com). This makes it even more convenient to provide the aftercare to patients from the comforts of their own home.”
The ReShape balloon itself is two soft connected, silicone intragastric balloon that is inserted non-surgically in a deflated state into the stomach and then inflated with sterile saline solution through a self-sealing valve once it enters the stomach. The intragastric balloon (also referred to as a belly balloon) will remain in place for a maximum of six months. During that six-month period, the patient will enjoy a feeling of fullness sooner and satiety will last longer after meals, which encourages portion control and helps manage hunger. In the 12-month ReShape program, the patient will participate in a professional support program providing personalized diet that will help to retrain the patient’s eating habits, individual exercise series, and a one-on-one motivational program including