| [ Summary ] |
Obesity can be described as a chronic disease with high mortality rates. This is because it can lead to serious illness such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and fatty liver. Recently, bariatric surgery, as a treatment for morbid obesity, also is a growing trend in Japan. Endoscopic intragastric balloon placement for treatment of morbid obesity is an intermediate treatment between medical therapy and bariatric surgery. This procedure is less invasive. However it is not adequate for treatment of severe morbid obesity because many patients regain the weight after balloon removal. It is appropriate for patients with mild obesity or those scheduled for bariatric surgery. |