Turkey bans swallowable gastric balloons

The Ministry of Health in Turkey has announced a ban on swallowable gastric balloons after experts raised concerns about the risks associated with the procedure. In 2024, an estimated 6,500 people received a swallowable gastric balloon.

“The procedure’s simplicity led to its misuse by professionals outside of general surgery and gastroenterology, often in unsuitable conditions,” said Professor Oktay Banli, President of the Turkish Bariatric Surgery Foundation.

Banli said the procedure does not involve examining the stomach for underlying issues such as reflux, gastritis, ulcers, or tumours before the capsule is swallowed, leading to post-procedural issues: “This oversight can lead to serious stomach or intestinal complications. Traditional gastric balloons involve a thorough endoscopic evaluation, ensuring there are no health risks before the procedure.”

Another critical issue highlighted by experts is the procedure being performed by non-specialists in unsuitable environments. Professor Banli noted that these factors significantly contributed to the ban.

“The ease of application allowed practitioners outside gastroenterology and general surgery to perform it. This, combined with inappropriate conditions, raised red flags.”

In August 2024, the Allurion gastric balloon was suspended in France following an increase in the number of reports of adverse effects over the last two years, the lack of monitoring of gastric balloon insertions, the lack of specific training in the management of these complications outside the insertion sites, as well as the advertising of Allurion balloons that does not comply with regulations.

This article is derived from an article in Türkiye Today, please click here to view the original article