Major surgery is always accompanied by the possibility of complications which can lengthen a patient’s stay at hospital, prolong recovery time, and increase physical discomfort. Bariatric surgery is no exception. With a Gastric Bypass procedure there are a wide variety of possible complications, albeit rare, such as infection, haemorrhage, hernia, bowel obstruction, and venous embolism. Hence, when the goal is radical weight loss, it is always advisable, whenever possible, to choose a non-surgical procedures over an invasive one. Fortunately, there are several non-surgical weight loss methods available such as Gastric Balloon, Gastrointestinal Liner, and Fat Dissolving Injections.

What is the Gastric Balloon Procedure?
The Gastric Balloon procedure, sometimes referred to as Transoral Gastroplasty, is a non-surgical and reversible method for radical weight loss. The Gastric Balloon device is a silicone tube filled with a sterile saline solution. The balloon is introduced via mouth and placed down the oesophagus into the stomach. The inflated balloon displaces a large amount of stomach volume, creating a feeling of fullness and satiety. Lasting only a few minutes, the patient need not be administered with general anaesthesia during this procedure. After the inflation tube is removed, the patient is kept under observation for a short time, and discharged from hospital within a couple hours. The Gastric Balloon procedure is quite effective usually resulting in a 35% - 40% loss in excess weight.

What is a Gastrointestinal Liner (Endo-Barrier) Procedure?
The Gastrointestinal Liner or EndoBarrier is a relatively new non-surgical procedure for treating morbid obesity. The EndoBarrier is an impermeable gastro-intestinal barrier that prevents food from coming into contact with the walls of the patient's intestine. The Endobarrier is placed non-surgically into the patient’s small intestine, endoscopically implanted via mouth and positioned such that it covers the first two feet of small intestine. Absorption of food through the sleeve is blocked, significantly reducing the patient’s nutrient and caloric intake. Digestive enzymes remain outside the liner so that consumed food and digestive juices do not combine until much lower in the small intestine. The result is rapid and effective weight loss without the the pain of surgically altering the patient's gastrointestinal structure. In December 2009 the therapy received the European CE mark approval so a successful track record has yet to be established.

What are Fat Dissolving Injections
Phosphatidylcholine-based injections are a non-invasive weight loss option which consist of a series of injections intended to dissolve fat cells in specific areas. Depending on the exact technique and location, these injections can be surprisingly effective. Each chemical application contains a variety of chemicals and enzymes, all of them targeting the same fat cells as in traditional liposuction. The technique offers obvious advantages over surgical fat removal. However, patient candidate should be aware that this is a developing therapy and lacks the long term data that exists with more well established and traditional non-surgical strategies.