Athenix Body Sculpting Institute, a leading aesthetic plastic surgery center on the West Coast, recently achieved a major milestone of successfully placing over 1,300 gastric balloons since 2016. This milestone earns Athenix the distinction of the most experienced provider in the United States of this safe, non-surgical weight loss procedure.
The gastric balloon weight loss procedure helps to address the growing epidemic of obesity in America. Most recently, during the pandemic multiple research studies confirmed what most people observed – that is, Americans gained excess weight. Researchers at Harvard found that 39% of Americans gained weight during the pandemic.
“Over our series of 1,300 patients, on average patients lost nearly 30 pounds with the gastric balloon, with some patients losing upwards of 60 – 80 pounds. The gastric balloon addresses an important need; it has allowed us to serve patients that otherwise would have been too overweight to treat safely.”
— James M. Haefner, CEO of Athenix Body Sculpting Institute
Athenix Body Sculpting Institute partnered with Apollo Endosurgery, the manufacturer of the Orbera gastric balloon, to provide a solution for overweight patients who often seek plastic surgery. Athenix utilizes the Orbera gastric balloon to help patients jump-start their weight loss. Orbera is an FDA-approved and widely used device that is gently placed into the stomach of patients so they feel full longer and can practice portion control with greater success. The gastric balloon is inserted through the esophagus into a patient’s stomach and filled with a saline solution once in place. This quick, 15-minute outpatient procedure is done under a mild sedative without the need for general anesthesia.
The Orbera gastric balloon facilitates new habits and makes it easier to practice portion control and intake fewer calories throughout the 6 months the balloon is in the stomach. Studies have shown that patients lose 3.1 times more weight compared to diet and exercise alone.
Athenix has five locations in Washington, Portland and California, with plans to expand nationally starting this year.
[Source(s): Athenix Body Sculpting Institute, PR Newswire]
