Swallowable Gastric Balloon
Allurion Programme
This non-surgical weight loss treatment involves the use of a swallowable gastric balloon to help individuals lose weight.
The Allurion Programme utilises a gastric balloon, which is a soft, inflatable device made of silicone. The balloon is placed in the stomach through the mouth without the need for any surgical incisions. It is designed to take up space in the stomach, leading to a feeling of fullness and reduced hunger.
The gastric balloon used in the Allurion Programme is swallowable, meaning it is ingested in the form of a capsule. Once swallowed, the balloon is filled with a sterile solution to expand it to its proper size in the stomach. The procedure is typically performed on an outpatient basis and does not require sedation or anesthesia. The balloon remains in the stomach for a specific period, usually around 16 weeks, before it is removed.
The swallowable gastric pill balloon helps with weight loss by creating a sense of fullness, thereby reducing food intake. It restricts the amount of space available for food in the stomach, leading to a decreased appetite and a lower calorie intake. The goal is to promote portion control and healthier eating habits.
At Dr SW Clinics, the Allurion Programme is offered as part of a comprehensive weight loss program that includes dietary and lifestyle guidance. The program includes support from our professional healthcare team, to help individuals make sustainable changes to their eating habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle.
The Allurion Programme has shown promising results in terms of weight loss, with some studies reporting significant reductions in body weight and improvements in obesity-related health conditions.
Treatment cost
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Treatment Summary at a glance
How does it work?
The Allurion Programme utilises a swallowable gastric balloon to aid in weight loss. Below is how the gastric balloon works within the program:
1. Swallowing the Balloon: The Allurion swallowable gastric balloon is designed in the form of a pill, making it a non-surgical procedure. It is attached to a thin, flexible catheter and is contained within a capsule that is easy to swallow.
2. Placement in the Stomach: Once the capsule is swallowed and reaches the stomach, our healthcare professional will use a simple, minimally invasive procedure to inflate the balloon with a sterile solution. The filled balloon expands to take up space in the stomach.
3. Feeling of Fullness: The presence of the balloon in the stomach creates a feeling of fullness and satiety. It occupies space in the stomach, reducing its capacity and giving individuals a sense of satisfaction with smaller portions of food.
4. Portion Control and Reduced Calorie Intake: By creating a sense of fullness, the swallowable gastric balloon helps individuals control their portion sizes and reduce their calorie intake. This can lead to weight loss by promoting a calorie deficit, as individuals consume fewer calories than they expend.
5. Duration of Balloon Placement: The Allurion gastric balloon is typically left in the stomach for about 16 weeks. During this time, individuals receive support and guidance from healthcare professionals to adopt healthy eating habits and make lifestyle changes that support long-term weight management.
6. Balloon Removal: At the end of the 16-week period, the gastric balloon is removed using an endoscopic procedure. This involves inserting a tube through the mouth into the stomach to deflate the balloon and then removing it.
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Before
After
FAQ's
You are suitable for this treatment unless you:
- Are pregnant
- Have difficulty swallowing
- Have had a bariatric surgery in the past 2 years
- Have had abdominal surgery in the past 2 years
- Have Crohn’s Disease
- Have a hernia larger than 5cm
The Allurion Programme is a 6-month weight-loss programme built around the Allurion Balloon, which is a breakthrough weight-loss device.
The Allurion Balloon is a soft balloon placed in your stomach. It is the first gastric balloon that requires no surgery, endoscopy, or anaesthesia for placement or removal. The swallowable gastric balloon is placed during a brief 15-minute outpatient visit. After approximately 16 weeks, it empties and passes naturally.
The balloon takes up space in your stomach and induces weight loss by increasing fullness, delaying gastric emptying, and reducing the amount of food eaten at each meal.
After approximately 16 weeks of the Allurion Programme, on average, patients lose between 10-15% of their total body weight.
Absolutely. If your BMI is 27 or above you will lose around 10-15% total body weight loss, with the average around 14%. If you have a high BMI around 35, you may have a second swallowable gastric pill balloon 2 months after the first balloon has passed and our data shows an incredible 24% total body weight loss.
The patient swallows a capsule containing the deflated balloon along with a thin tube. Once the balloon is confirmed to be in your stomach via X-ray, the balloon is filled through the catheter with 550ml of water. A second X-ray takes place to make sure the balloon is fully filled in the stomach. The placement takes place during a 15-minute outpatient visit.
Nearly 100% of people succeed in swallowing the Allurion Balloon. If you have trouble swallowing the capsule on your own, your doctor can assist you by gently stiffening the catheter with a thin wire.
Some people experience nausea, abdominal cramping, and occasionally vomiting after balloon placement. In most cases, these symptoms are well-controlled with the commonly used medications prescribed.
Following healthcare professional approval, most people return to normal activity within a day or two; however, some people may experience longer side effects. It can be a good idea to book a few days off work afterwards just in case, or have the balloon placed on a Friday so you have the weekend off.
There are some specific dietary recommendations before placement and during the first week after placement as you adapt to the swallowable gastric balloon. The weeks that follow the placement are a great time to start making changes to the way you eat. You do not need to make huge changes to eat more healthily all at once, it’s best to set small goals and change your habits a little bit at a time.
After approximately 16 weeks inside your stomach, a time-activated release valve will open, allowing the balloon to empty and pass naturally through the gastrointestinal tract without the need for a removal procedure.
After the Allurion Balloon passes, the Allurion Programme and the related support from your healthcare team continues for one month. At the end of the Allurion Programme, you should continue your healthy lifestyle habits. One clinical study showed that 95% of the average weight loss with the Allurion Balloon was sustained at 1-year follow-up.
Studies show that at 12 months, 96% of people have maintained their weight loss after the swallowable gastric pill balloon treatment.
Some patients feel the balloon at the beginning of their journey but more often than not, people become accustomed to the balloon and often forget it is there.
This is a behaviour change programme, not only will you lose weight you will also develop new eating habits. Overall health will improve and we have clinical data which shows this can help to reverse type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes.
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