Small bowel obstruction from migrated intragastric balloon

Intestinal obstruction resulted from balloon migration is an extremely rare but serious late complication of the intragastric balloon (IGB). The aim of this study is to report a case of small bowel obstruction occurring in a middle age corpulent female following embedding of IGB. A 47-year-old obese female presented with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting for two days. She had a history of an endoscopically placed IGB nine months before presentation. Physical examination showed an obese woman with mild distress, and the right upper abdomen was tender. The plain abdominal radiograph showed gas shadow in the stomach and the duodenum, esophagogastro-duodenoscopy showed an empty stomach and balloon migration from the stomach. Under general anesthesia, laparotomy was performed, a three-centimeter antimesenteric enterotomy was done and the balloon extracted from the proximal jejunum. Intestinal obstruction is an extremely rare complication of IGB. It should be managed by laparotomy and extraction of the balloon.