Complication of Gastric Balloon in an Adolescent Patient: A Case Report

As the prevalence of childhood obesity continues to rise, there is an increase in demand for temporary and minimally invasive alternatives to bariatric surgery as solutions for addressing pediatric obesity. Intragastric balloon (IGB) placement is an increasingly popular methodology for addressing adult obesity; however, it is not approved for the pediatric population. We describe the case of a 17-year-old adolescent female who underwent IGB placement in Colombia and failed to receive proper follow-up care in the country of insertion resulting in a gastric outlet obstruction. This highlights the need for United States-based pediatric surgical providers to be familiar with IGB procedures as an increase in the popularity of medical tourism creates circumstances in which these providers could be expected to manage associated follow-up care and complications related to IGB placement.