If your BMI exceeds 50, gastric balloon can be a bridge to a successful long-term surgical solution. Rising weight correlates with greater risk in surgery, and so extremely obese patients may benefit from undergoing a balloon procedure, lowering BMI and scheduling gastric sleeve for a later date. Although gastric balloon is less invasive and has fewer side effects, it is a temporary solution that typically results in less weight loss than gastric sleeve. In most cases a gastric balloon will remain in the stomach for no more than six months.