Allurion: A New Technological Approach to Weight Loss

Allurion Non Surgical Weight Loss in Tijuana Mexico

Technology is constantly evolving and improving in almost all possible fields, and we are witnessing it in real-time. These innovations are created with the purpose of making all processes, carried out by both humans and machines, way more easier and effective. This also applies to the medical field where surgical procedures are constantly being reviewed and improved to allow doctors to perform different surgeries with a higher success rate or how new approaches are being constantly developed so that patients can also have access to non-surgical options. 

At LIMARP®️, we use only the highest quality, state-of-the-art equipment and instruments in our bariatric center. This technology helps us to provide a safe and clean environment for patient treatment. We follow all standard surgical and non-surgical procedures to maintain safety and cleanliness throughout our bariatric center. Our surgical, medical, and nursing teams are highly skilled and receive ongoing training and education to stay up-to-date on the latest treatments and procedures for obesity.

As a team, we are always looking for new ways to further improve our bariatric center, continuously reevaluating our standards to ensure we provide consistent and quality care. We want our patients to get the best medical attention possible and their well-being is a top priority for us, which is why we’re always striving to offer more non-surgical options if they’re eligible and if the procedures fall in line with their treatment.

For this article, we’d like to talk about Allurion and its innovative intragastric balloon. Surgery has come a long way since the first procedures were carried out and today, we’re witnessing a non-surgical approach to an operation that was already minimally invasive to begin with. If you’re interested in learning more about Allurion and what it offers, this article will answer the most important questions, including what it’s for, its cost, and if it’s available in Mexico.

Allurion is fairly new technology and we’ll be happy to answer any remaining questions you may have about this non-surgical approach.

What’s Allurion?

Allurion Technologies was founded by Shantanu Gaur and Samuel Levy in 2009 with the goal of rethinking “popular perception about weight loss”. As medical students, they began to observe the most common struggles among bariatric patients, one of them being the fear of invasive surgery and the high-cost rates each procedure had. Based on this information and the subsequent data they continued to gather for their research, the Allurion team created a weight loss program that ensured that patients had an affordable and non-surgical option to achieve their health goals. 

This non-surgical option is known as the Elipse intragastric balloon (EIGB), which after several years of medical trials and testing, it’s now offered around the world, along with other state-of-the-art technologies that include the Allurion Virtual Care Suite, the Allurion Mobile App for consumers, Allurion Insights for clinicians featuring the Iris AI Platform, and the Allurion Connected Scale and Health Tracker devices. This allows doctors to customize, monitor, and manage weight loss therapy for patients regardless of their treatment plan.

How Does the Allurion Program Work?

The Allurion program consists of a non-surgical treatment that allows patients to lose weight in up to 16 weeks through the use of a swallowable intragastric balloon; this means that this procedure doesn’t require an endoscopy or the use of anesthesia, as is with the traditional intragastric balloon. The idea of swallowing the balloon may raise some eyebrows, but studies[1] have found that, while there is concern for bowel obstruction, the EIGB is “a safe device offering an effective weight loss”. 

This non-surgical procedure has also been used in patients who have metabolic syndrome (MS) and who are also obese to test its effectiveness. As we’ve mentioned, an endoscopy is not needed for its placement and removal, and the body excretes it through the digestive tract after four months. The results were good with the total weight loss being 11.6%, as well as a significant decline in co-morbidities related to MS[2]. These results are possible because the Allurion EIGB limits the amount of food your stomach can hold and keeps you sated to avoid unnecessary eating. 

Certifications Provided by Allurion

As the only bariatric clinic in Tijuana that offers Allurion to patients, we want to ensure that our medical team is always up to date in order to provide the top-quality services that characterizes LIMARP® as one of the best clinics on both sides of the border. Dr. Liza María Pompa González trained with experts in Allurion to earn the necessary certifications and in July of 2022, she completed the courses needed to be proficient in all aspects of placement by completing a minimum of 10 proctored placements including 2 with stylet assistance and hereby authorized to independently use the Allurion Gastric Balloon System.


In the same month, she was also trained in the compulsory Allurion clinical training videos and the hands-on training session, and LIMARP®, as a clinic, has met all criteria required for certification to perform Allurion Gastric Balloon System placements. All of these certifications have been validated by Ram Chuttani MD, Allurion’s Chief Medical Officer. We pride ourselves in always being up to date with all medical innovations pertaining to bariatric surgery and our team works hard to be able to provide all services in a safe and successful way, as well as to address any doubts or questions that may arise. 

Allurion Availability and Costs 

Allurion is available all over the world and 89,000 patients around more than 50 countries have seen positive weight loss results. Mexico is one of those countries and LIMARP® is the only bariatric center in Tijuana that offers this non-surgical procedure to our eligible patients. Its cost ranges between $60,000 and $100,000 Mexican pesos, but it’s important that you check with your healthcare provider to obtain the exact pricing, as well as to schedule an appointment at the clinic so that they can talk to you about your options. 

Contact Us to Learn More

If you’re interested in learning more about Allurion and want to know if you’re eligible, schedule an appointment with one of our doctors. We can help determine the right treatment for you. Contact us online anytime or give us a call at (619) 373-0229. 

References

  • [1] Vantanasiri, K., Matar, R., Beran, A. et al. The Efficacy and Safety of a Procedureless Gastric Balloon for Weight Loss: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. OBES SURG 30, 3341–3346 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-020-04522-3 
  • [2] Genco A, Ernesti I, Ienca R, Casella G, Mariani S, Francomano D, Soricelli E, Lorenzo M, Monti M. Safety and Efficacy of a New Swallowable Intragastric Balloon Not Needing Endoscopy: Early Italian Experience. Obes Surg. 2018 Feb;28(2):405-409. doi: 10.1007/s11695-017-2877-1. PMID: 28871497.