Thinking outside the bubble: Endoscopic removal of an intra-gastric balloon without dedicated accessory equipment

Author: Murali DHARAN ¹ ; Karthik MATHIALAGAN
Author Information

1. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
Publication Type:Case Report
From: International Journal of Gastrointestinal Intervention 2025;14(2):85-87
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:English
Abstract: Intragastric balloons (IGBs) are increasingly used in endoscopic bariatric therapies (EBT) for obesity management. Typically, the IGB remains in situ for 6 months before removal. Dedicated accessories are usually employed for IGB extraction from the stomach. However, when these accessories are unavailable or when a patient presents to a gastroenterology service that does not offer EBT, IGB extraction can be challenging and may require improvisation. We describe a novel technique for IGB extraction that does not rely on dedicated accessories.