Body composition modification in obese patients treated with intragastric balloon.

At the Centre for the Therapy of Morbid Obesity, a multidisciplinary team attends severely obese patients in a day-care hospital setting. The patients' psychological and nutritional profiles are studied and their body composition investigated with bioelectrical impedance. After the diagnosis, several approaches are proposed; among them, the insertion of a Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB). For 6 months after insertion, patients were periodically examined and followed a strict personal regimen, behaviour schedule and physical activity programme compatible with the BIB. The results obtained from the first 20 subjects are encouraging. No severe complications have been reported, and after the BIB removal, subjects are maintaining the obtained results with some of them continuing to lose weight.