Allurion Elipse Balloon Vs Traditional Gastric Balloons
Weight loss is a tricky problem to find an effective solution for. Traditional ways of losing weight like diet and exercise are still effective for some people, while for others, it may not be enough. With that said, there are alternative solutions available in Asia, such as a new non-invasive gastric balloon named Allurion Elipse™ Balloon which has recently been made available in Singapore.
What is Allurion Elipse™ Balloon?
Unlike Traditional Gastric Balloons, Allurion Elipse™ Balloon is a gastric balloon that requires No Anesthesia & No Endoscopy. Allurion Elipse™ Balloon only requires you to swallow a pill which will later be inflated and as it takes up space in your stomach, it will make you feel full and reduce your appetite which in return will help you to lose weight. *Clinical studies had shown that it can help you to achieve *10 - 15% of your total body weight loss in just 4 Months. Click here to read more about it.
What Is a Traditional Gastric Balloon?
A traditional gastric balloon is also an inflatable balloon that helps you lose weight by taking up space in the stomach. The key difference between a Traditional gastric balloon and Allurion Elipse™ Balloon is that during the placement for a Traditional gastric balloon, the doctor uses an endoscope to insert the gastric balloon in the stomach instead of swallowing a pill. It is then filled with water through a catheter until it is the size of a grapefruit. The patient is lightly sedated throughout the process through general anaesthesia.
How Long Does a Traditional Gastric Balloon Stay in My Stomach?
Most traditional gastric balloons last in the stomach for four to six months. During this period, you tend to get fuller faster, even by consuming smaller portions of food than usual. The balloon also lets the food stay longer in the stomach, reducing the urge to eat food for a longer period. The balloon is then removed, again through a process of using an endoscope, after the four to six month period.
What Are The Risks For Using Endoscopy For Traditional Gastric Balloons?
Some people have concerns regarding the placement of Traditional Gastric Balloons. When not in the right hands, an endoscope can cause significant risks and complications. It may lead to infections, allergies, or even some damage to the throat and stomach. Furthermore, while it is generally safe, anaesthesia increases the risk of complications for people with certain pre-existing medical conditions. For individuals struggling with obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes may experience some complications when general anaesthesia is administered, which is something that Allurion Elipse™ Balloon does not require during the placement.
Does Allurion Elipse™ Balloon Require Endoscopy for Removal?
The answer is Yes & No. For early removals, doctors will require an endoscopy in order to deflate the gastric balloon prior to removal.
However, one key benefit of Allurion Elipse™ Balloon is the time release valve that Allurion Elipse™ Balloon has. If the balloon is placed, a time release valve will open after 4 months, deflating the balloon. Once deflated, It will then be passed out naturally with your stool. This way, you will not require any endoscopy for removal after 4 Months unlike Traditional Gastric Balloons.
Allurion Elipse™ Balloon makes the process of losing weight a lot easier and safer with their medical innovation, Allurion Elipse™ addresses problems and concerns that previous versions of Gastric Balloon faced.
How Long Does It Take For The Placement of Allurion Elipse™ Balloon?
The whole balloon placement only takes 20 minutes, administered by a certified medical professional. Upon ingesting the balloon, an X-ray is done to ensure that the capsule is placed correctly. The vegetarian casing of the capsule dissolves once inside the stomach, revealing the deflated balloon. The balloon is then filled with 550ml of purified water or until it is the size of a grapefruit. A second X-ray is done to make sure the balloon is adequately filled.
Is Allurion Elipse™ Balloon Safe?
Yes, over 40,000 Allurion Elipse™ balloons have been successfully placed all over the world. Much like other medical devices, the swallowable weight loss balloon may bring some side effects upon placement. Some of these may include nausea, abdominal cramping, and occasional vomiting. Although, in most cases, these are temporarily well-controlled with the commonly prescribed medications.
Is a Traditional Gastric Balloon Safe?
It depends solely on your health condition and the hands of the trusted professional. If you have underlying health conditions, Traditional Gastric Balloons might not be the right choice for you due to Anaesthesia. If you do not have any underlying health conditions, much like Allurion Elipse™ Balloon, side effects may include nausea, abdominal cramping, and occasional vomiting.
Is It Difficult to Swallow Allurion Elipse™ Balloon Pill?
The deflated balloon is encased within a capsule attached to a thin catheter. It makes for a swallowable weight loss balloon, which can be ingested with a glass of water, making the placement process easier, safer, and less invasive. Based on published *clinical studies, 99.9% of people succeed in swallowing the Allurion Elipse™ balloon. If you struggle in swallowing the balloon, a certified medical professional will assist you in doing so.
Is Allurion Elipse™ Balloon Effective in Weight Loss?
It is said that Allurion Elipse™ Balloon aids to lose 10-15% of total body weight within four months. According to a clinical study involving 509 patients, 95% of average weight loss with Allurion Elipse™ can be sustained at 12 months follow up.
Final Verdict : Allurion Elipse™ Balloon vs Traditional Gastric Balloon
Based on safety, Although both Allurion Elipse™ Balloon & Traditional Gastric Balloon are a relatively safe procedure. Allurion Elipse™ Balloon has more innovative medical features such as removing the need for Anaesthesia & Endoscopy during placement and removal (not to be confused with early removal) due to it’s time activated release valve & size of the pill.
This removes the risks for complications and side effects from Anaesthesia, especially when the patient has underlying health conditions which is very likely if the patient is Obese or Overweight. We would recommend the Allurion Elipse™ Balloon over the Traditional Gastric Balloon.
Who Is it Meant For? - Recent Case Study (Ms Nur Shahida Suhaimi)
Obesity and being overweight is a common problem amongst developed countries like Singapore. One of the many Singaporeans who struggle with their weight is Ms Nur Shahida Suhaimi.
Ms Shahida is a 35-year-old mother of two, trying to have a third child to fulfil her wish to have a big family. However, she faces issues in doing so due to her weight. She currently weighs 106kg with a BMI above 32.5, classifying her as an obese individual.
As per the doctor’s advice, she tried to lose weight, but it was not as simple as it sounds. Despite undergoing a strict diet and exercise regimen, Shahida struggled to meet her weight loss goals. Doctors opened the idea of bariatric surgery, a procedure that minimizes the size of the stomach, restricting the amount of food it can hold. However, after two Cesarean sections for her previous pregnancies, Shahida refused to undergo another invasive surgery.
As established, Ms Shahida is not the only person in Singapore who finds it hard to lose weight. Around half the patients of the Singapore General Hospital’s (SGH) Obesity Centre meet the criteria of having a BMI of at least 32.5. These people have various reasons for losing weight, from fertility issues to managing chronic conditions such as diabetes. With that said, many of these patients also refuse to undergo bariatric surgery.
That is why alternative solutions like gastric balloons have become popular in recent years. Even though Allurion Elipse™ is one of the newest brands of weight loss balloons in Singapore, it has been proven to aid in weight loss.
In June 2020, Ms Shahida became the first patient to undergo the Allurion Elipse™ Balloon procedure in Singapore. The 20-minute process was administered by a medical professional from the SGH. Ms Shahida ingested the capsule with a glass of water, then filled it with purified water. After 16 weeks, the time-activated valve opened, deflating the balloon and passed out naturally, with no need for surgery, anaesthesia, or endoscope.
Ms Shahida reportedly lost nearly 15kg after 4 Months with the Allurion Elipse™ Balloon. Results may vary for different people, depending on the body’s reaction to the balloon. The lifestyle choices made after the balloon’s placement also affects the final results.
A weight loss balloon is not a permanent solution to losing weight. To achieve long-lasting results, specific changes need to be made to your lifestyle. A healthy diet and regular exercise is a staple to a healthy lifestyle. The balloon makes the weight loss process easier, but being mindful of your choices maintains the great results you initially achieved.
Sadly, not everyone can commit to a healthier regimen on their own. Most gastric balloons, including Allurion Elipse™, come as part of a lifestyle and fitness program. Here, you will work with a team of professionals, such as dietitians, psychologists, physiotherapists, and more. They help patients to create smarter choices beyond the placement of the balloon.
With the help of a team supporting her journey, Ms Shahida created smarter and healthier decisions regarding her diet and physical activity. She now reduced her meals to smaller portions, cutting out carbohydrates and mainly consuming protein. With the help of the balloon, she also consumes food more slowly than before. Also, she added at least 10 minutes of exercise to her daily routine. Ms Shahida is expected to lose another 5kg to 10kg thanks to this method.
Weight loss may be a simple problem, but it sometimes requires complex solutions. Luckily, there are many options out there for people looking for an approach fitted for their health and body. Gastric Balloons in Asia, like Allurion Elipse™, can be a good option if you are looking for a less invasive but still effective way of shedding off weight. Also, with a team of professionals, you are on the path to achieve your goals.