ORBERA FAQs

Illustration of a human stomach with an inflated gastric balloon for weight loss.

What is Orbera?

The Orbera is an intragastric balloon system designed to help patients lose weight who have been previously unsuccessful with diet and exercise alone. The US FDA approved the device in 2015 for use in patients with BMI of 30 to 40.

How is Orbera placed?

The intragastric balloon is placed endoscopically under general anesthesia. The procedure typically takes around 20-30 minutes. Once the balloon is within the stomach, the balloon is insufflated with saline.

How much weight will I lose?

Clinical trials show that patients with Orbera lost 3.1 x more weight than with diet and exercise alone.

How long does it last?

Typically, the balloon is kept in place for 6 months. After removal, ongoing nutritional and lifestyle support should be continued for 6 months.