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Orbera: A Non-Surgical Weight-Loss Procedure

June 02, 2016

Losing weight and keeping it off is no easy feat. It requires an unwavering commitment to exercise and healthy eating and non-stop motivation. But for some, a little extra help is needed to make weight loss a success.

For patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30-40 who are anywhere from 30-100 pounds overweight, a new procedure can jump start weight loss.

It’s called Orbera, and doctors at Hartford Hospital were among the first in the nation last year to perform the procedure after its approval by the FDA.

Dr. Darren Tishler, medical director of the Surgical Weight Loss Center at Hartford Hospital, describes the two-part program that begins with placing a balloon in the stomach:

“The Orbera is a non-surgical procedure performed much like an endoscopy. It is an intra-gastric balloon that is placed in the mouth, down the esophagus and into the stomach using a small camera for guidance. Once the balloon is in the stomach, we inflate it with silicone,” says Tishler. “The procedure typically lasts about 15-20 minutes and patients go home the same day. Six months later, the patient will come back to have the balloon removed.”

During those six months, patients work with the team at the Surgical Weight Loss Center at Hartford Hospital, including nutritionists, psychologists and exercise physiologists who help patients make the necessary lifestyle modifications.

“It’s extremely important that we provide patients with the resources during and after the balloon is removed for successful weight loss.,” he says. “The balloon is simply a tool that allows people to feel full and satisfied and eat smaller portions, but it’s really our dedicated team working closely with the patient to help mold a healthier lifestyle.”

Dr. Tishler says a patient will lose about 38 percent to 40 percent of their excess weight with Orbera. He says it’s a modest amount of weight loss, but the results are significant to control a variety of health-related issues associated with weight gain, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

“More important,” he says, “we want patients to know that this is more than just a weight-loss procedure; this is about, ‘How much better will my quality of life be?’ For many patients, this can easily be achieved after only losing a small amount of weight.”

The Orbera treatment is also available through The Hospital of Central Connecticut’s bariatric surgery program, part of the Hartford HealthCare Center for Weight Loss Surgery.