A non-surgical, non-permanent gastric balloon that is designed to suppress appetite and teach portion control has now been launched into the UK aesthetic market, called the Elipse.
The Elipse is made by medical technology manufacturer Allurion, which was co-founded by American-based Dr Shantanu Gaur and Dr Sammy Levy, both of whom have a specialist interest in the obesity epidemic.
Dr Gaur said, “I have seen the success that this product has had in weight management clinics specifically, however I see the potential for Elipse to be transformative in the aesthetics industry because there are so many aesthetic interventions that just are not affective unless you have lost some of the visceral fat from your abdomen. The training is straightforward and there is no endoscopy, no surgery and no anaesthesia required. So it’s something very scalable.”
The company states that the treatment can be administered by a nurse, however must always be overseen by a doctor. They also explain that, on average, after the four months, patients will lose between 13-15kg and the ideal patient is one with a body mass index of 27 and above.
The protocol involves the patient swallowing a capsule that contains a deflated balloon, which is connected with a thin tube. Once the balloon is in the stomach (confirmed by X-ray) it is then filled through the catheter with 550ml of water. The catheter is then removed by gently tugging, which allows it to detach from the balloon. The Elipse stays in the stomach for four months before it degrades and passes out of the body.
Before the patient leaves the clinic, they will receive an Allurion Bluetooth-enabled scale, which works by electrical impedance technology measuring weight, bone mass, muscle mass, body fat percentage, amongst others. Every time the patient steps onto the scales, data is synced with the Allurion smart phone app, allowing the user to share their weight loss data with their practitioner at any point. It also features push notifications, which can remind patients to go to monthly check ups, or suggest a healthy recipe, for example.
