Intragastric balloon (
IGB)
therapy is a widely used technique to counter
obesity, and it is known to be safe and effective. Although there can be a high rate of side effects following
IGB therapy, most are self-healing and they are mainly accommodative in nature. Few cases of
Wernicke's syndrome under
IGB therapy have been described in the literature, and to the best of our knowledge, none have been fatal. We present here a case of a 51-year-old woman who underwent
IGB therapy over 8 months. Late diagnosed
Wernicke's syndrome that first appeared as lower limb neuropathy progressively immobilized the patient, until she required
bed rest. Finally, a major complication of
pneumonia caused her death.
Wernicke's syndrome has been mainly related to
bariatric surgery techniques, but it must also be linked to
IGB therapy (and also to other restrictive
weight-loss interventions). As the use of
IGB therapy spreads, the literature must alert physicians to this complication.
Wernicke's syndrome is a severe but reversible condition when diagnosed and treated early.