New adjustable balloon could help people lose weight without surgery
NCT ID NCT06373666
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested a modified adjustable stomach balloon (Spatz4) in 20 adults with a BMI of 27 or higher who had struggled to lose weight with diet and exercise alone. The balloon is placed in the stomach and can be adjusted at week 16 to change its volume. The main goal was to see if the adjustment procedure works reliably. This is an early feasibility study, not a test of long-term weight loss.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Spatz4 Adjustable Balloon System (a device implanted in the stomach to aid weight loss, with volume adjustment at week 16)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a more effective, adjustable weight-loss balloon option for people with overweight or obesity who have not succeeded with diet and exercise alone.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early feasibility study (20 people) focused only on whether the balloon can be adjusted, not on long-term weight loss or safety. The device may not lead to significant or lasting weight loss, and risks like discomfort or balloon deflation are possible.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Aug 2024
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Have a BMI ≥ 27; * Be male or female, between 18 and 65 years of age, inclusive; * Have a history of excess weight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) for at least 2 years and have failed more conservative weight-reduction alternatives, such as supervised diet, exercise and behavioral modification programs; * Be willing to commit to a long-term low calorie (1000-1500 calories/day) supervised diet; * Have reasonable weight loss expectations (accept a goal of losing up to 15% of body weight after 52 weeks); * Be able to follow requirements outlined in the protocol, including complying with the visit schedule and behavioral modification program, and willing to undergo protocol-specific procedures, e.g., endoscopy, local sedation, general anesthesia, upper gastrointestinal radiography (UGI), electrocardiography (EKG), gastric motility testing, and/or clinical laboratory testing, and must be willing to take prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs); * Be able to provide written informed consent; * Have successful completion of the pre-placement screening and educational programs supporting that the subject is an appropriate study candidate; * Be willing to use contraception (e.g., birth control pills, condoms, abstinence) and avoid pregnancy during the study if female of child-bearing potential. Exclusion Criteria: * Previous history of esophageal, gastric or duodenal surgery, any bariatric surgery, any hiatal hernia surgery, bowel obstruction surgery, adhesive peritonitis, and/or hiatal hernia \> 4 cm; * A history of myocardial infarction in the previous 6 months: New York Heart Associate (NYHA) Class III or IV (heart failure) or cardiac arrhythmia (e.g. atrial fibrillation); * History or symptoms of varices, bowel obstruction, congenital or acquired GI anomalies (e.g., atresias, stenosis, stricture, and/or diverticula), severe renal, hepatic, and/or pulmonary disease; * History or symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease; * History of unstable thyroid disease; * History of uncontrolled gastro-esophageal reflux; * Type I diabetes; * History of dysphagia, esophageal stricture or esophageal food impaction; * Poor general health, in the opinion of the Placing and/or Evaluating Investigator, or presence of a specific medical condition that would increase the risks associated with endoscopy and/or placement of the Spatz4; * Symptomatic congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia or unstable coronary artery disease. * Pre-existing respiratory disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); * Specific diagnosed genetic or hormonal cause for obesity such as Prader Willi syndrome * History or symptoms of esophageal or GI motility disorders (e.g., gastroparesis, achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm) or symptoms of esophageal stricture; * Ongoing treatment with anticoagulants, steroids, aspirin \> 100 mg, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), or other medications known to be gastric irritants, and inability or unwillingness to discontinue the use of these concomitant medications; * Evidence of untreated psychiatric or eating disorders, such as major depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse; * Pregnancy, breast-feeding, or intention of becoming pregnant during the study (if female of childbearing potential); * A condition, or is in a situation, which in the Evaluating and/or Placing Investigator's opinion may put the subject at significant risk, may confound the study results, or may interfere significantly with the subject's participation in the study.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Endohope Havířov s.r.o.
Havířov, 73601, Czechia
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