Balloon tamponade: A procedure in which a balloon is inflated within the esophagus or stomach to apply pressure on bleeding blood vessels, compress the vessels, and stop the bleeding. Used in the treatment of bleeding veins in the esophagus (esophageal varices) and stomach. The balloon used in the esophagus is shaped like a sausage while that in the stomach is rounded. Balloon tamponade is also called esophagogastric tamponade. The word "tamponade" is direct from the French. The French verb "tamponner" means to plug up.