[Does the stomach balloon modify the function of the esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter, stomach emptying and release of gastrointestinal peptides?].

The Willmen gastric bubble has been used as an adjunct to weight loss in morbidly obese patients. 35 patients with morbid obesity were studied with routine manometry, esophageal 24-h-pH-measurement, and gastric emptying studies before and 4 weeks after bubble placement. During emptying studies blood samples were taken to measure gastrin, PP, CCK, VIP, neurotensin and insulin. No patient developed heartburn or regurgitation after bubble placement. Esophageal motility and LES function remained unchanged. There was no important pathological gastroesophageal reflux before and after gastric bubble. The gastric emptying time of solid food was unchanged by gastric bubble placement and the emptying time of liquids was accelerated up to normal. In patients with fasting gastrin levels less than 20 pg/ml at the beginning of the first test we found no differences in gastrin release before and after bubble insertion. In patients with primary high fasting values gastrin release was significantly increased. CCK, VIP, neurotensin and insulin levels were unchanged. With PP we measured significantly raised fasting levels after gastric bubble. We conclude that esophageal and LES functions are not altered by Willmen gastric bubble placement and that primary retardation of fluids is changed to normal. Bubble induced gastric tension increases fasting PP. In case of high fasting gastrin the bubble leads to an extremely high food response without any clinical signs.