Preoperative intragastric balloon in morbid obesity is unable to decrease early postoperative morbidity of bariatric surgery (sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass): a clinical assay

Introduction There are few studies that investigate the usefulness of the preoperative intragastric balloon (IGB). This study will evaluate if pre-surgical weight loss with IGB reduces morbidity and mortality after surgery. Method Prospective randomised study of patients with morbid obesity treated with gastric bypass or vertical gastrectomy, with two arms: the balloon arm (B-arm), where an IGB was inserted within the 6 months before surgery, and the control arm (C-arm). Results The study included 66 patients: 65.6% women, 69.6% with bypass. Age: 43 years (SD 10.2) B-arm and 42.6 years (SD 9.2) in the C-arm. We found 34.4% therapeutic failures in IGB. The mean body weight loss, %EWL and BMI reduction before surgery was 16.2 kg (SD 9.84) B-arm versus 4.7 (SD 8.70) in the C-arm, 23.6% versus 4.7% ( p < 0.001) and 6.04 versus 1 ( p < 0.001), respectively. The hospital stay was 7 days (p 25–75 : 5–8) B-arm and 7 days (p 25–75 : 5–9) in the C-arm ( p = 0.937). Post-surgical morbidity with IGB was 25% versus 29.5% in the C-arm, p = 0.689. The number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent of post-surgical morbidity was 23 patients. The B-arm presented 54.5% moderate-severe post-surgical adverse events (12.5%) versus 82.6% in the C-arm (23.5%), p = 0.111. The cost of placing a balloon was more than 4000 Euros each. Conclusions The preoperative balloon does not achieve a reduction in the post-surgical morbidity, nor does it reduce the hospital stay or rate of re-operations. The balloon achieves a higher weight loss result when compared to a diet programme, its added cost must also be given due consideration. Trail Registry This study has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the Identifier: NCT01998243 (November 28, 2013).