HEATHER, IT'S EASY TO SEND IT
TO HER.
THERE IS EXCITEMENT ABOUT A
NEW WEIGHT LOSS PROCEDURE JUST
APPROVED BY THE FDA.
IT COULD BE A POWERFUL TOOL
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST OBESITY.
THE KEY FEATURE IS A SILICON
BALLOON FILLED WITH SALINE.
DOCTORS USE AN ENTY SCOPE TO
POLICE A BALLOON INSIDE A
PERSON'S STOMACH.
SIX MONTHS LATER IT'S REMOVED.
THE TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN USED IN
EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA FOR
SEVERAL YEARS BUT LAST FRIDAY
THE FIRST PROCEDURE SINCE
APPROVAL HERE HAPPENED AT THE
MAYO CLINIC AND ANGELA DAVIS
WAS THERE.
WHERE YOU GOING TO DO IT?
IN YOUR BELLY.
Reporter: DR. HAIRLINES
DOCTOR SUGGESTED TRY SOMETHING
NEW TO LOSE WEIGHT.
THEY SAID DO YOU WANT TO BE
THE FIRST?
I THINK ABOUT IT AND SAID LET'S
ROCK.
Reporter: MARK IS 5'9" AND
WEIGHS 221 POUNDS.
EVEN THOUGH HE TRIES TO STICK
TO A HEALTHY DIET AND LOVES TO
EXERCISE, HE HAS STRUGGLED WITH
HIS WEIGHT FOR YEARS.
IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS IF YOU
LOOK AT ME I NEED TO LOSE A FEW
POUNDS.
AND I'VE BEEN TRYING AND
TRYING.
Reporter: BUT MAYBE THIS
WILL.
IT'S FILLED WITH A SOLUTION
CALLED SALINE.
Reporter: DOCTOR OVER SAW
THE CLINICAL TRIALS.
IT WILL DECREASE THE AMOUNT
OF FOOD THAT ENTERS FROM YOUR
STOMACH AT A PARTICULAR POINT.
IT SIMULATES TO TELL YOU THERE
IS SOMETHING IN THERE, I'M
FEELING FULL.
YOU CAN CONSUME LESS CALORIES.
THE IMAGE YOU ARE SEEING IS
THE ENTY SCOPE PASSING THROUGH
THE ASOFT GAS.
IF YOU WILL WATCH THE
BALLOON FILLING HERE.
WE WILL PUT A TOTAL OF 650 CC'S
OF SALINE.
KIND OF A CAN OF COKE SO TO
SPEAK.
THE BALLOON IS NOW INFLATING.
YOU SHOULD BE SEEING IT PRETTY
WELL.
Reporter: THE THE FDA SAYS
IN NATIONWIDE CLINICAL TRIALS
PATIENTS WHO HAD THE BALLOON
PROCEDURE LOST AN AVERAGE OF 21
POUNDS AFTER SIX MONTHS.
WHICH WAS BETTER THAN THE SEVEN
POUNDS LOST IN PATIENTS WHO
ONLY TRIED DIET AND EXERCISE.
BETTER YET NINE MONTHS AFTER
THE BALLOON WAS TAKEN OUT,
THOSE PATIENTS AVERAGED A
WEIGHT LOSS OF 19 POUNDS.
THERE IS A GREAT VIEW OF HOW
THE BALLOON SITS IN THE
STOMACH.
THE CAPACITY OF THE STOMACH.
Reporter: ABOUT 20 MINUTES
AFTER THEY STARTED THE DOCTORS
ARE DONE AND 20 MINUTES LATER
MARK IS WAKING UP.
I HAVE NO PAIN.
I MEAN NOTHING.
Reporter: HOW DOES YOUR
THROAT FEEL?
NOTHING.
Reporter: OKAY.
JUST A LITTLE DROWSY.
YEAH.
YOU NEED A DOCTOR'S REFERRAL
AND A BODY MASS INDEX OF AT
LEAST 30 TO HAVE THE PROCEDURE
DONE.
IT COST $6,000 TO $8,000.
MAYO HAS A FINANCIAL INTEREST
IN A COMPANY THAT MAKES THE
DEVICE DEVICE.
THE PROCEDURE IS NOT COVERED BY
INSURANCE BUT DOCTORS SAY THAT
