How to prepare for the procedure of insertion/removal of a gastric balloon?
BIB® is a soft silicone balloon placed in the stomach for 6 or 12 months. Its task is to reduce the volume of the stomach, and thus reduce the portions of food intake. Thanks to this, patients diagnosed with obesity can easily change their eating habits to healthier ones, and as a result significantly lose weight. Placing a balloon in the stomach does not cure obesity. It is only an element supporting weight control and facilitating the start of a new, healthy lifestyle. However, it is worth remembering that everything depends on the patient. The most important thing is to follow the medical advice, as well as to take up physical activity that will support weight loss.
The basic condition for setting up a 6 or 12-month balloon is to stay on an empty stomach, i.e. do not take food and thick liquids, coffee and tea for at least 6 hours, and refrain from chewing gum and smoking cigarettes. It is allowed to drink water in order not to feel thirsty, up to 2 hours before the procedure. The last liquid (still water) can be taken 2 hours before the procedure in an amount not larger than a glass (250 ml). If the balloon is removed, you must fast for a minimum of 10 hours.
Diabetic patients should stop taking oral hypoglycaemic drugs or insulin during fasting (during the period without taking food, thick liquids, coffee and tea). They should sign up for the test in the morning – inform the registration about this.
If in doubt, we recommend that you contact your referring physician.
Before the procedure under general anesthesia, all available medical documentation and current results of the following tests should be presented:
- ionogram (K, Na)
- ECG (please perform the ECG test the day before the test at the latest)
Up to 2 months, the above studies are considered valid. The tests that are needed for the procedure can be performed in our facility. The collection point is open from Monday to Wednesday from 7:00 to 13:20, from Thursday to Friday from 7:00 to 12:00 and Saturday from 8:00 to 12:00. The waiting time for blood results is 1 working day.
In the case of a procedure under general anesthesia, you will be asked to arrive 30 minutes earlier in order to complete an anesthesia questionnaire regarding your health (document available for download in the download tab). A properly completed questionnaire will allow the anesthesiologist to assess the risk associated with anesthesia and adjust anesthesia to the current state of health. Anesthesia is designed to ensure comfort and will be adapted to the type of procedure and the individual needs of the patient and the doctor performing the procedure. If symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection or elevated temperature appear before the procedure, you should report this fact by phone to the clinic. This is a contraindication to anesthesia.
Please be advised that for safety reasons, after anaesthesia, you must not drive a motor vehicle for 24 hours and leave the clinic with an accompanying person.
IMPORTANT: If the patient has been referred for the procedure and is 55+ years old, has a BMI above 35 (kg/m²) or suffers from a serious comorbidities, he or she should consult with one of our specialists about the the possibility of surgery and anesthesia.
For an anesthesiology consultation in stationary form, please prepare:
- medical records regarding the patient’s chronic diseases and medications taken,
- basic laboratory test results from the last 2 months (morphology, sodium, potassium, creatinine, APTT, PT, INR);
- blood group result;
- ECG result from the last 2 months;
- in the case of accompanying thyroid diseases – TSH, FT3, FT4 results from the last 2 months;
- in the case of cardiac diseases such as: ischemic heart disease, heart defects, arrhythmias – ECHO results from the last 6 months and a certificate from the attending physician stating that the disease is stable and does not require modification of treatment;
- in the case of neurological diseases – a certificate from the attending physician stating that the disease is stable and does not require modification of treatment;
- if you are taking anticoagulants (so-called “blood thinners”)
- a certificate from the attending physician with recommendations for the patient regarding the possible discontinuation of these drugs or switching to low molecular weight heparins
For teleconsultations, please send scans of documents in accordance with the above guidelines before the date of anesthesia consultation and deliver the originals on the day of anesthesia!
Please be advised that even a positive qualification by an anesthesiologist during an anaesthesiological consultation is not a 100% guarantee of anesthesia on the day of the examination/procedure. The final decision to perform anesthesia is made by the anesthesiologist present on the day of the examination/procedure, based on the patient’s current condition and compliance with the recommendations indicated during the consultation and general recommendations, in particular regarding food intake and post-anesthesia care.
ATTENTION: We kindly inform you that in order to reserve an appointment for an endoscopic examination under general anesthesia or without it, you must make a full prepayment within 48 hours of making the reservation and send the confirmation to the following address:
The fee is not refundable unless the Patient cancels the examination 48 hours before. Account number below to which the payment should be made. In the title, please enter the Patient’s name.
mBank: 59 1140 2062 0000 5673 5500 1001