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Allurion swallowable gastric balloon

Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOON Allurion

A gastric balloon as a capsule to swallow – without surgery, gastroscopy or general anaesthesia, passed out naturally after four months. Especially for people who shy away from general anaesthesia.

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How your therapy is structured

Two building blocks.
One plan.

The Weight Doctors® MEMBERSHIP is the foundation of every therapy: medical oversight, progress monitoring and aftercare. The treatment you choose together with your specialist builds on it.

Building block 1

Weight Doctors® MEMBERSHIP

The foundation for every Weight Doctors® therapy – with the tools that support your treatment and record your progress for your medical consultations.

  • Weight Doctors® AppKeep an eye on weight, activity and sleep, for iOS and Android
  • Digital body scalesBluetooth scales – the readings flow straight into the app
  • 3D BodyscanMeasure body composition objectively, up to twice a year
  • Priority access to specialistsby phone, video or on site, without a long wait
  • 360 coaches and Weight Doctors® MiraNutrition and behaviour in everyday life, aftercare with your coaches
  • E-prescription servicePrescriptions issued digitally – after medical approval
More on the Membership
Building block 2

Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOON Allurion

A gastric balloon as a capsule to swallow – without surgery, gastroscopy or general anaesthesia, passed out naturally after four months. Especially for people who shy away from general anaesthesia.

Procedure
Swallowable, without general anaesthesia
Duration
4 months
Price
on request
Costs

The Membership does not replace a medical decision: whether treatment makes sense, and which one, is decided by your specialist after a medical assessment.

Personally here for youDr. med. Robert Jenner · Visceral surgery

Your guide

The Allurion gastric balloon at a glance

How the swallowable balloon works, what to expect in the first days and who it suits. You can find all balloons compared under Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOON.

A gastric balloon you swallow

The Allurion gastric balloon is a time-limited stomach reduction that finds its way into the stomach without a procedure and without anaesthesia. A very light, thin and robust material makes this possible: the balloon can be folded so small that it fits into a capsule you can swallow.

Placement fits into a short appointment. In the stomach, the wafer-thin balloon is filled with liquid via a thin tube. It then floats freely for about four months, leaving less room for food there; afterwards, it is passed out naturally.

The Allurion gastric balloon: a coin on the left for size comparison, next to it the capsule with the thin filling tube, the filled balloon on the right
The small capsule with the thin filling tube (centre), a coin on the left for size comparison, the filled balloon on the right.

Why the Allurion gastric balloon?

  • Simply swallowedNo surgery and no gastroscopy – you simply swallow the capsule.
  • Without general anaesthesiaNeither general anaesthesia nor local anaesthesia is needed for placement.
  • Short appointmentPlacement takes approx. 15–20 minutes; you generally leave again after 45 minutes, with no outward signs of a treatment.
  • No appointment for removalNo procedure is needed at the end of the treatment either.
  • Full soonerWith the balloon, the feeling of fullness can set in faster and last longer; cravings can decrease.

Who is the Allurion gastric balloon suitable for?

The Allurion gastric balloon is intended especially for everyone who shies away from general anaesthesia and has not made progress with diets so far. The BMI calculator shows you where you stand. Requirements:

Weight Doctors® adviser explaining the capsule of the Allurion gastric balloon
  • Adults of legal age in good general health
  • From a body mass index (BMI) of 27
  • Whether the Allurion gastric balloon is right for you, we find out together in a personal consultation
  • Not the first choice with a higher BMI or a larger goal – a balloon that is placed endoscopically and stays longer is then more suitable, such as the gastric balloon for 6 months or the gastric balloon for 1 year

“For patients who shy away from general anaesthesia in particular, but who have already failed many times with their attempts at dieting, the Allurion gastric balloon can give exactly the chance they have long been looking for.”

Dr. med. Oliver Scheffel
  1. BMI from 27Allurion gastric balloon possible
  2. BMI from 30rather a balloon for 6 or 12 months
BMI scale according to the WHOCalculate your BMI

How the treatment works

The capsule of the Allurion gastric balloon with the thin filling tube
  1. Swallow the capsuleWith a glass of water, you swallow a capsule on a thin tube, containing the balloon. An X-ray shows whether the capsule is correctly positioned in the stomach.
  2. Fill the balloonThe balloon is filled with liquid via the tube. A second X-ray confirms the filling, then the tube is carefully withdrawn.
  3. The first daysFeeling unwell, nausea, sometimes vomiting and dehydration are typical. After a few days, most people are fit again.
  4. Accompanied for four monthsOur coaches accompany you with a digital scale and smartphone app and can see your progress at any time while you change your diet.
  5. Natural eliminationAfter four months, the balloon deflates and is generally passed out naturally.

The first days: what to expect

As with all gastric balloons, the first days after placement are a physical and mental challenge. It is then especially important that you follow the advice of our specialists and coaches – this helps ease the symptoms. If needed, we prescribe suitable medication so that you are supplied with important nutrients at all times. After that, you can get properly started on the therapy.

Weight Doctors® colleague at a laptop
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. ScheffelSpecialist in general and bariatric surgery
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. MörmelSpecialist in internal medicine
  • GermanyProf. UyakSpecialist in internal medicine and emergency medicine
  • GermanyDr. JohnSpecialist in internal medicine & gastroenterology

All specialists

Accompanied for four months: how the therapy unfolds

A coordinated nutrition and training programme is essential for success. So that it suits your circumstances, we coordinate all measures closely with you and give the therapy a clear structure.

During the four months, you can eat noticeably less. You learn to feel full on small portions at main meals as well and to pay attention to your food intake. On request, personal nutrition coaching is added.

Many people notice after the four months that they have regained control over their eating behaviour and eat more mindfully. You can read how the support continues afterwards under Weight Doctors® 360°; you can find films about the treatments in our media library.

Weight Doctors® adviser welcoming a patient

What can the Allurion gastric balloon do?

The weight-loss goal is up to 10 kg. Studies have also examined the balloon: in a clinical study with almost 100 patients, 12 months after the balloon was passed out, they had on average kept 72% of the weight they had lost.

Results vary from person to person – your specialist will discuss with you what is realistic for you. What matters is the new habits you build in the four months. The progress shown below was measured with the Weight Doctors® 3D Bodyscan or photographed before and after treatment. You can read more about gastric balloons in the article The gastric balloon: losing weight without surgery at a glance.

3D avatar from the Weight Doctors® 3D Bodyscan with evaluation of body values

Results vary from person to person. The images show Weight Doctors® patients who have consented to their publication.

All success stories

What does the Allurion gastric balloon cost?

We will tell you the price in the consultation. If you do not wish to pay the amount in one go, you can pay in instalments.

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All prices

Paying in instalments: how it works

If you would like to spread the costs over a longer period, payment in instalments via our partner Ideal4Finance is possible. You decide the instalment amount and term yourself; Ideal4Finance reviews your application promptly. You submit the application together with us during your consultation, by phone or entirely paperless online – more under Pay in instalments.

The requirement is sufficient creditworthiness. In detail:

  • Main residence in Germany
  • no negative Schufa entries
  • employed or retired, with disposable income
  • Students, trainees and homemakers can enter a second person from the same household as the borrower – a parent, child, spouse or partner

Apply for instalmentsMore on instalments

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Your specialists

In specialist hands.

39 doctors in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and South Africa – at the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim and at your location.

  • GermanyDr. JohnSpecialist in internal medicine & gastroenterology
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. MörmelSpecialist in internal medicine
  • GermanyProf. UyakSpecialist in internal medicine and emergency medicine
  • GermanyDr. SudholtSpecialist in internal medicine
  • GermanyE. BeckerSpecialist in internal medicine
  • GermanyDr. ZimmerSpecialist in internal medicine / gastroenterology
  • GermanyM. Al RashdanSpecialist in internal medicine & gastroenterology
  • GermanyM. Al HamedSpecialist in internal medicine & gastroenterology
  • NetherlandsDr. StraathofSpecialist in gastroenterology & hepatology
  • United KingdomDr. BansiSpecialist in gastroenterology
  • South AfricaDr. NaiduSpecialist in internal medicine
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. ScheffelSpecialist in general and bariatric surgery
  • GermanyAustriaProf. MillerSpecialist in general and visceral surgery
  • GermanyPD Dr. WichmannSpecialist in visceral surgery & expert in endobariatrics

All specialists

Frequently asked questions

Questions about Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOON Allurion

Your question isn’t listed? Your specialist will take time for it during the consultation.

How long does placement of the gastric balloon take?

The entire treatment generally takes only 15–20 minutes.

Why does the Allurion gastric balloon manage without gastroscopy?

The balloon is made of a material so light, thin and robust that it can be folded into a tiny capsule. The capsule is so small that it can be swallowed through the mouth. No gastroscopy is therefore required.

Do I need general anaesthesia?

No. You swallow the capsule with a glass of water; neither general anaesthesia nor local anaesthesia is needed. The Allurion gastric balloon can therefore be an option especially for people who shy away from general anaesthesia.

How long is the clinic stay?

You generally leave again after just 45 minutes – with no outward signs of a treatment. Returning to everyday life is therefore simple and quick.

How is it checked that the balloon is in the right place?

With two X-rays: the first shows whether the capsule has reached the stomach, the second confirms that the balloon is filled. Only then is the thin tube carefully withdrawn.

How long does the balloon stay in the stomach?

About four months. After that, it deflates and is generally passed out naturally – an appointment for removal is not needed.

Will I be in pain?

The pain is very slight, and there are no scars. For many, the first days are more unpleasant, until the stomach has got used to the balloon.

When am I socially presentable again?

Generally after 3–4 days. Until then, nausea, sometimes vomiting and dehydration can occur; drink plenty and follow the advice of our specialists.

What requirements do I have to meet?

Basic requirements are good general health, a body mass index (BMI) of at least 27 and being of legal age. Whether the Allurion gastric balloon is right for you, we clarify in a detailed personal consultation.

What do I need to contribute to the success of the gastric balloon?

What matters is the nutrition and training programme, which we coordinate closely with you: over the four months, you learn to feel full on small portions and to eat more mindfully. Our coaches accompany you in this via the digital scale and the Weight Doctors® App.

How much weight can I lose with the Allurion gastric balloon?

The weight-loss goal is up to 10 kg. How much it will be for you depends mainly on the nutrition and training programme over the four months. Results vary from person to person.

What does the Allurion gastric balloon cost?

We will tell you the price in the consultation. The gastric balloon is a self-pay service; you can pay the costs in instalments via Ideal4Finance. More under Costs & prices.

Allurion or classic gastric balloon – which suits better?

The Allurion gastric balloon suits smaller weight-loss goals and anyone who wants to avoid general anaesthesia. For larger goals, the gastric balloon for 6 months or the adjustable gastric balloon for 1 year are options.

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Other treatments

All paths.
From gentle to surgical.

Every method has its place. Here you can see at a glance how major the procedure is, how long it takes and what starting price you can expect.

Wide range of services
no procedure
Surgery
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Medically supervised pharmacotherapy with regular progress monitoring – with no procedure at all.

Duration3–12 months
Pricefrom €599
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Weight Doctors® 360°

Nutrition coaching

Nutrition coaching and support in everyday life – in person, by video and in the app.

Durationper session
Pricefrom £49
You are hereNo surgery

Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOON

Temporary, also swallowable

A temporary companion for 6 or 12 months – also swallowable, with no endoscopy at all.

Duration6 or 12 months
Pricefrom £4,250
No surgery

Weight Doctors SLEEVE®

Endoscopic, permanent

Permanent stomach reduction without conventional surgery – endoscopic, outpatient, without scars.

Duration30–60 min
Pricefrom £10,500
With surgery

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®

Surgical, minimally invasive

Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery for higher BMIs, incl. preliminary examination and aftercare.

Duration1–3 nights
Pricefrom £16,900

All treatments

Locations

Consultation at many locations

Whether the Allurion gastric balloon suits you, we clarify in a personal conversation – on site, by video or by phone. Enter your postcode or choose your city:

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Consultation

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