The ORBERA balloon placed and removed by Dr. Reza Keshavarzi, a board-certified bariatric surgeon who also performs ESG and gastric sleeve, so your plan can grow with you without changing doctors.
A gastric balloon is a soft silicone balloon that sits in your stomach for up to six months, taking up room so you feel full on smaller portions.
The balloon we use is ORBERA. Dr. K guides it down through the mouth on an endoscope, then fills it with sterile saline. The months it is in place are when new eating habits take hold, and those habits are what you keep once it is removed.
With less room to fill, meals end earlier and portions shrink without constant willpower.
Your stomach and intestines keep their normal shape and digestion route.
The balloon is temporary, which makes it a lower-commitment first step.
The ORBERA balloon is designed for adults with a BMI of about 30 to 40. It tends to be a strong fit when:
Dr. K may suggest his Low BMI Mini Sleeve or medical weight loss.
A gastric sleeve or bypass is usually the stronger tool for lasting loss.
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty narrows the stomach from the inside and is not removed.
Medical weight loss builds a personalized plan around medication and nutrition.
Many balloon programs stop at removal. Ours does not, because the months after the balloon comes out decide how much weight stays off.
Dr. K reviews your health, past weight loss attempts and goals, and tells you whether the balloon or another option fits you better.
Placement typically takes 10 to 20 minutes. Most patients go home the same day.
You start on liquids and move to soft foods, then to regular small meals as your stomach settles.
Regular follow-ups track your progress, and nutrition guidance helps you build the portions and habits you will keep.
Dr. K deflates and removes the balloon. The visit is quick and uses the same technique as placement.
Support continues, with medical weight loss when it helps. If you need more, ESG or a sleeve stays with the same surgeon.
Dr. K offers all four, so the recommendation you get is about your body, not about the one procedure a clinic happens to sell.
| Gastric Balloon | ESG | Gastric Sleeve | Medical Weight Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | A saline-filled balloon takes up room in the stomach | Internal sutures fold the stomach into a narrower tube | Most of the stomach is removed, leaving a slim sleeve | Medication and nutrition guidance reduce appetite |
| Incisions | None, placed by endoscopy | None, done by endoscopy | A few small laparoscopic incisions | No procedure |
| How long | Temporary, removed at up to six months | Long term, not removed | Not reversible | Ongoing while you use it |
| Often suits | BMI about 30 to 40, wants a reversible start | Wants a lasting change without surgery | Higher BMI or weight-related conditions | Prefers no procedure, or combines it with one |
Dr. Reza Keshavarzi, known to patients as Dr. K, is a board-certified bariatric surgeon and our lead surgeon. He completed his surgical residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital and a fellowship in laparoscopic, bariatric and robotic surgery at Jackson South Medical Center, after earning his medical degree with High Distinction from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
Because he performs endoscopy as well as surgery, Dr. K places and removes your balloon himself. If your goals change later, the same surgeon can offer ESG, a sleeve or a bypass.
Questions answered by Dr. K. In this clip from our office, Dr. K talks through the questions patients bring to their first visit.
Getting the balloon implanted was the best decision, but finding a doctor with such high human and professional qualities as Dr. Reza Keshavarzi was definitely the best.Loren P.Gastric balloon patient, Google review, translated from Spanish
The doctor was very straightforward and honest and extremely professional.Pat C.Google review
He has been there the whole process, provided his cell phone to make sure he could be reached at all hours.YesiGoogle review
Your balloon price depends on your plan, so Dr. K gives you a clear number at your consultation rather than a range that may not apply to you.
Cherry financing lets you spread the cost of treatment over time.
Straight answers to what patients ask us most about the balloon. Dr. K answers anything specific to your health at your consultation.
The ORBERA balloon stays in place for up to six months. Dr. K then deflates it and removes it with the same endoscopic technique used to place it, so there is still no incision. Your follow-up continues after removal so the habits you built keep working.
The balloon we offer is ORBERA, which is not a capsule. Dr. K places it with a thin endoscope passed through the mouth while you are sedated, then fills it with saline once it is in position. The cost of your plan is given at your consultation, together with your financing options.
No, it is not surgery. There are no incisions, and you are sedated while Dr. K places it, which typically takes 10 to 20 minutes. Most patients go home the same day and spend the first days on liquids while the stomach adjusts, with our team checking in.
The balloon is temporary, so what you keep depends on the eating habits you build while it is in place. That is why our plan does not end at removal: follow-up, nutrition guidance and medical weight loss continue when they help. If you need more than a balloon can give, Dr. K also performs ESG and gastric sleeve, so your next step stays with the same surgeon.
They work differently. The balloon limits how much your stomach holds, while GLP-1 medications act on appetite, and some patients use both in sequence. We offer medical weight loss as well as the balloon, so Dr. K can recommend one, the other or a combination for your health and goals.
Meet Dr. K, find out whether the balloon or another option suits you, and leave knowing your price and timeline.
