Gastric and Autonomic Functions in Patients With Intragastric Balloon

The intragastric balloon is a space-occupying device that is hypothesized to function by inducing early satiety. Additionally, insertion of an intragastric balloon causes delayed gastric emptying; longer gastric emptying times after balloon insertion are correlated with more weight loss. The exact mechanism of function, however, is not clear and likely multifactorial. The investigators hypothesize that the intragastric balloon causes weight loss by affecting gastric and autonomic function, including pace-making and accommodation, and that the difference in responsiveness among patients may be mediated by differences in gastric function.