What you need to know about Gastric Balloon Treatment in Thailand

A gastric balloon is a type of weight-loss treatment performed to help people with obesity lose significant weight. It is a nonsurgical procedure that involves placing a saline-filled silicone balloon into your stomach. This balloon obstructs a sizable area of your stomach, thus limiting how much you can eat and making you feel fuller faster. The balloon is designed to stay in your stomach for only six months before it is removed. After six months, the balloon is deflated and removed from your stomach, allowing you to have your normal stomach size back.

The gastric balloon will help you lose weight and lower your risks of potentially life-threatening weight-related diseases, such as heart disease or stroke, high blood pressure, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

You may consider gastric balloon if your body mass index (BMI) is between 30 and 40, and diet and exercise have not worked for you.

After gastric balloon, you will be able to lose significant weight. As a result, your risk of developing weight-related diseases is reduced and you can enjoy more activities that you could not do before. You may also become more comfortable and confident with yourself. In the end, the procedure will increase your quality of life.

MyMediTravel currently lists 2 facilities in Thailand offering Gastric Balloon Treatment procedures - see above for the complete list, along with estimated prices. The price of a Gastric Balloon Treatment is usually standardized across all patients but a pre-assessment by the surgeon will confirm the price prior to traveling. For a personalized quote Click Here to submit your details

What does the Procedure Involve?

During gastric balloon insertion, you will be given mild anesthetic and sedative to help you relax.

Your doctor will insert a thin tube (catheter) loaded with the silicone balloon down through your throat and into your stomach. Next, your doctor advances an endoscope down your throat and into the stomach. An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light attached to its end. The camera helps your doctor get a clear picture of the inside of your stomach without having to surgically open your abdomen. Once the endoscope and the balloon reach your stomach, the balloon is filled with sterile saline through the catheter that is attached to the balloon. The balloon is filled until it is too large to pass through the small intestine.

After the balloon is successfully inserted and filled with saline, your stomach capacity is decreased by 700 ml.

How Long Should I Stay in Thailand?

Gastric balloon insertion takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete. It is an outpatient procedure, meaning you can leave the hospital on the same day once the effect of the anesthesia wears off. Still, you should plan to stay in Thailand for at least 7 to 10 days for follow-up checkups where your doctor will make sure that the balloon is not causing any issues. If everything goes according to plan, you will be allowed to fly home.

What's the Recovery Time?

The first few days after gastric balloon insertion, you may experience pain, nausea, and vomiting. However, you should be able to go back to most of your normal activities, including work within the next day (if your job is not physically demanding). Make sure to discuss with your doctor your recovery timeline.

What About Aftercare?

Your doctor will give you detailed aftercare instructions, which may include a diet plan. During the first week, you are only allowed to consume liquid. You may be able to start eating soft foods at the start of the second week. It may take around three weeks after the gastric balloon insertion until you can start eating regular food.

To maximize and maintain your weight loss, it is important that you commit to a healthy lifestyle. Be sure to exercise regularly with the help of expert supervision. You need to talk to your doctor and a nutritionist about your diet plan because you have to fulfill your body’s nutritional requirement with less food. You also need to take vitamins, minerals, and other supplements regularly. In addition, you have to attend regular checkups where your doctor monitors your weight loss. You can choose to have your checkups with your local doctor back home.

What's the Success Rate?

A gastric balloon is a safe and effective procedure. Women typically lose around 2 to 3 kilograms of their body weight in the first week, while men may lose around 4 to 7 kilograms. On average, patients lose around 7% to 15% of their excess weight during the six months that the gastric balloon is inside their stomach. The total weight loss after a gastric balloon ranges from 30% to 47%.

Although the gastric balloon is generally safe, you still need to be aware of the possible side effects and risks the procedure carries. The anesthesia and endoscope used in the insertion of the balloon can cause side effects such as stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, discomfort, and reflux. In some cases, patients may also experience bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, abdominal or back pain, flatulence, and heavy feeling in the abdomen. All of these side effects are usually temporary and should subside on their own without any treatment.

In very rare cases, the balloon can deflate by itself and slip into the lower intestines. This can cause blockage in your digestive system, resulting in bowel obstruction. If this happens, additional surgery to remove the balloon is needed. Other rare, but possible complications are ulcers and perforation in the stomach wall, which would need surgery to treat.

Are there Alternatives to Gastric Balloon Treatment?

If a gastric balloon is not for you, you can consider other types of bariatric procedures:

Gastric bypass – during a gastric bypass, a small pouch is created in your stomach and part of your digestive system is rerouted (bypassed). The procedure essentially alters your anatomy so you cannot eat as much as you used to and your body cannot absorb as much food. This type of bariatric procedure is considered as one of the most effective.
Gastric sleeve – this procedure involves removing parts of your stomach to reduce its size. Your stomach will be shaped like a sleeve/banana.
Gastric band – an inflatable silicone band is placed at the upper part of the stomach in order to reduce its size.

About Thailand

Thailand leads the way for Asian countries with over 60 state-of-the-art JCI accredited facilities and consistently voted one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. It's known for its tropical beaches, floating markets, stunning royal palaces, and Buddhist temples. In Bangkok, the capital, an ultramodern cityscape rises with brand new high-rise condominium developments next to quiet canal side communities. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the most popular tourist areas outside of Bangkok are Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Pattaya, all with great yacht chartering opportunities.

Thailand welcomes hundreds of thousands of medical tourists each year, many of which travel for Gastric Balloon Treatment procedures. Medical Tourists travel from all across the globe, particularly from the local SE Asia region, Australia, US, Middle East and an increasing amount are traveling from China. An outstanding private healthcare system combined with a hot tropical climate and competitive prices means that Thailand is now the third most popular destination in the world for medical tourism. The most popular procedures tend to be cosmetic surgery (breast augmentations, gender reassignment surgery, and CoolSculpting to name a few), cardiac surgery, orthopedics, and urology.

Popular Parts of Thailand

With a population of just under 70 million people spread across an area of around 500k square km, Thailand’s most popular regions/cities include Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Koh Samui, and Hua Hin. The capital city Bangkok is one of the most visited cities in the world, whilst Thailand as a whole receives over 30 million tourists each year, the vast majority of these will enter Thailand through Bangkok.

As Bangkok is the only urbanized region mentioned, all others are centered around island/beach life, with the exception of Chiang Mai, set in the northern Thailand jungle.

Weather and Climate in Thailand

Known for its truly tropical climate and scorching temperatures, Thailand, in general, is hot and humid all year round. The coastal locations do benefit from the cooling sea breeze, a luxury urban Bangkok is denied. Average temperatures range from 28°C (82°F) up to 35°C (95°F). However, during the Hot Season (March to June), temperatures can top 40°C (104°F).

The infamous Rainy Season tends to start in July and continue through to October; during this time expect heavy rainfall, often amounting to flooding in some areas. It will remain warm to hot but humidity levels will rise and the mosquitos will come out to play!

November to February is often referred to as the Cool Season when less rain is expected and the temperatures tend not to rise above 35°C (95°F).

From a tourist perspective; High Season lasts from November to March and Low Season April to October. But be aware of the Shoulder Seasons of April to June and September to October, when Thailand is less impacted by the Rainy Season and less busy with tourists – these can be the ideal times to visit.

In a nutshell, Thailand is a Shorts and T-shirt Country, you’re never really going to be cold, so pack light; shorts, t-shirts, vests, skirts, singlets, and light dresses. Maybe pack jeans and shoes if you’re planning on going to a swanky roof-top bar in Bangkok or to a temple where flip-flops are not acceptable.

Don’t forget mosquito spray as the little pests can get everywhere; big ones and little ones! Always protect against the sun; high factor sunscreen and UV-protective sunglasses. The usual medications found at home should be available in most pharmacies.

Getting around in Thailand

With the Suvarnabhumi International Airport being serviced by some of the world’s major airlines, tourists can fly into Thailand from almost anywhere in the world, sometimes with a connection along the way. All the popular regions have their own international airports, with the exception of Pattaya, which is just a 90-minute taxi ride from Bangkok. However, arrival destinations are slightly limited outside of Bangkok, but the likes of Emirates and Qatar Airways will fly into Phuket International Airport. The rest, mostly fly in from local countries on budget airlines, including Scoot, SilkAir, AirAsia and Lion Air to name a few.

For domestic flights, the airports are nicely linked in Thailand with flights from as little as $45 USD one way. There are several budget airlines servicing these routes, including Thai Lion Air, AirAsia, Nok Air, Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, and Thai Smile.

The train allows for even cheaper travel within Thailand and is far more comfortable than spending hours sitting on a bus. Bangkok has the BTS, or Skytrain, which allows for fast transfer from the airport into the city. Given the traffic in central Bangkok, the BTS offers a great alternative to being stuck in traffic jams.

Taxis are great, however, be sure to confirm the price before you begin your journey or better still, insist the ride goes on the meter – that is how you guarantee the cheapest and fairest price. But expect traffic in the city and any built-up areas.

Tourist Visas in Thailand

Whilst Thailand is most welcoming of tourists from all over the world, travelers should check with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand for confirmation. Those with a UK, US, German, Australian, Singaporean passport, for example, do not require a visa when entering and can stay for up to 30 days. Whereas Chinese and Indian passport holders are required to apply for a visa on arrival, which lasts up to 15 days – for more information, click here.

Additional Information

The Thai Baht (THB) is the local currency and $1 USD will get you 30-33 THB, or in other words, 1,000 THB is worth approximately $32 USD.
ATMs are readily available across Thailand and accept virtually all major bank cards (Visa, Mastercard). Credit card payment is accepted in most established restaurants and outlets, with the more local food vendors, for example, only accepting cash. Tipping is common as service is not included at restaurants, anything around 10% is fine.
Thai is the local language but due to the extremely well-established tourism industry in Thailand, English is spoken by most locals who work with tourists and often signs will have an English translation.
Buddhism (95%) is the primary religion throughout Thailand, with a large Muslim population (4%) mostly focused in the south. The Royal Family is deeply revered throughout the country and should never be disrespected, such behavior is severely punished. Pointing with your feet and touching another person’s head is considered extremely rude.
There are many public holidays in Thailand, which aren’t always on the same day each year, including Songkran (Thai New Year), which is celebrated in mid-April, Labor Day and Coronation Day in early May, Asanha Buja in July and Constitution Day in December.

Gastric Balloon Treatment in Thailand

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