The allurion gastric balloon

How does the Allurion Gastric Balloon work?

The ALLURION gastric balloon implantation is a painless procedure that takes about 20 minutes and involves the patient swallowing a small capsule (gastric balloon) with a thin catheter attached while sitting. Swallowing of the capsule is the most uncomfortable yet painless part of the procedure which takes place under local anesthesia to the oral cavity and pharynx. Once the X-ray confirms that the capsule is in the correct position in the stomach, the balloon is filled through the catheter with a special physiologically harmless body fluid (550 ml).

The procedure is performed by a doctor of medical sciences Donatas Danys, an abdominal and bariatric surgeon.

The ALLURION balloon stays in the stomach for 4 months, after which it disintegrates spontaneously and is eliminated from the body through the intestines (no further procedures required). The patient can lose on average about 10-15 kg (10-15% of body weight) during this period.

After the procedure, the patient receives dietary recommendations and conscientious adherence which is very important. The surgeon follows the patient’s weight changes and general well-being for 6 months after the implantation of the ALLURION gastric balloon and makes recommendations. Additional advice from a nutritionist may be obtained a couple of months after the procedure.

At the request of the patient, physiotherapists at Gijos Klinikos can prepare an individual physio program to exercise individually with a physiotherapist in the gym, privately at home, or in a sports club. Weight changes, activity levels, sleep quality and other factors of interest can be recorded and tracked on the dedicated ALLURION mobile app, which is linked to the scales and smartwatch provided by the Clinic.

Although the ALLURION balloon is an effective weight loss tool, it is not designed to maintain the lost weight, as the stimulus that causes the weight loss is naturally eliminated from the body. The purpose of the balloon implantation is to help the patient develop new healthy lifestyle habits and to continue them independently after the end of the ALLURION program.

In most cases, if specialist recommendations on diet and physical activity are followed, patients succeed to maintain their weight loss results or even lose a few extra kilograms.