Allurion Technologies, a company based in Wellesley, MA, is reporting receiving the European CE Mark of approval for its “procedureless” gastric balloon. The Elipse weight loss device doesn’t require anesthesia or sedation during delivery and placement, but is simply swallowed. It’s the size of a large pill and has a catheter attached to it which is used to fill the compressed balloon once it’s inside the stomach. After the patient swallows the Elipse, the physician pumps liquid into it and detaches the catheter by pulling on it.
The balloon remains within the patient’s stomach for approximately four months. The balloon then opens up and releases the fluid into the stomach, itself again becoming smaller and small enough to pass through the GI tract. We’re guessing this happens without a warning of the precise time of the event, and probably for the better. All in all, the Elipse offers both the delivery and removal of the gastric balloon without much of a procedure besides initially pumping fluid into the swallowed device.
For a more in-depth discussion, take a look at our interview from a few years ago with a co-founder of Allurion, Shantanu Gaur.
Flashback: Expanding the Bounds of Weight Loss: Interview with Allurion Technologies Co-Founder, Shantanu Gaur…
Product page: Elipse…
Source: Allurion Technologies…