Allurion – non-invasive gastric balloon in Riga
A quick, painless, and non-surgical procedure that takes only up to 30 minutes. Lose 20–25% of your total weight with a personalised support programme within 6 months!
Trust the largest, most experienced, private medical facility in Latvia – Veselības centrs 4
Steps to insert an intragastric balloon in Riga, Latvia?
- The first consultation with Sandija Šplīta, the programme creator and nutritionist, is held remotely in video format.
- If the first consultation with the specialist does not reveal any medical indications why we cannot insert the balloon, then we move to the next step.
- The second remote consultation with the lead physician Dr. Jūlija Balandina, who reassesses the medical condition and decides whether we can insert the balloon or whether we need to do any investigations beforehand.
- We agree on a date when you can come to Riga.
- You will need to prepare a little before the treatment and arrive on an empty stomach.
- Balloon insertion on Friday morning. On the day of insertion, you will receive food and drink guidelines for the first few days and a personalised nutrition plan for the first 6–7 weeks after insertion.
- Rest is recommended for two days after insertion to allow the stomach to adapt to the balloon.
- Stay in Riga – 2 nights, which can be spent in an accommodation of your choice. Airport transfer and special rates for partner hotels are available by individual arrangement.
- On Monday morning you can return by plane with the balloon already in your stomach.
The process is organized remotely by the manager, the nutritionist, and the lead physician. The nutrition plans and consultations with the nutritionist/doctor are done remotely for six months
How does it work?
Allurion technology is a balloon contained in a small capsule, which is administered into the patient’s stomach using water, under medical supervision. No endoscopy, surgical intervention or anaesthesia is required. Once the balloon is in the stomach, it is filled with saline solution and its position is checked with X-rays.
The balloon stays in the stomach for 16 weeks, after which it breaks down naturally and is excreted through the digestive tract. The balloon fills the stomach, relieving hunger, providing a lasting feeling of satiety, and allowing food to be processed for longer. Weight loss of 20-25% of total body weight is achieved in combination with an individual nutrition programme! Duration of the treatment: up to 30 minutes. A rest period of up to two days is recommended after insertion of the balloon.
It's not just a balloon, it's a six-month programme!
The patient works closely with the nutritionist and the lead physician. During the consultation, the nutritionist develops an individual nutrition plan for the adaptation and weight loss process. A follow-up consultation is held every five weeks to adjust the plan and discuss any questions with the patient in person.
Patients also get an Allurion smart scale, a smartwatch, and an app to communicate with specialists, receive daily reminders and, most importantly, monitor weight changes!
Fill out our application survey
If you are unsure about any of the questions and the answer is “I don’t know”, we will assess it during the consultation.
Inserting the balloon takes up to 30 minutes
So simple – lose weight without surgical intervention or anaesthesia!
Stable and lasting results
The weight lost is permanent even 12 months after the balloon is excreted!
100% support throughout the programme
Get support and answers to important questions both in the clinic and remotely.
What is included in the six-month programme?
- Allurion intragastric balloon, made of vegan material and naturally degrades in the body after 16 weeks.
- Allurion smart scales, smartwatch, and app.
- Consultation and clear guidance on preparation, course of the process and the adaptation period.
- Individual consultation with a nutritionist and the development of a specialised plan for both the adaptation and post-adaptation periods.
- Communication with specialists on important issues on a daily basis via the app.
- Repeated face-to-face consultations with a nutritionist.
- Various benefits of the app, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) – answers to questions about the course of the programme by physicians 24/7.
- 100% support throughout the treatment programme.
Gastric balloon
Allurion gastric balloon
Medical support
Six months in the clinic and remotely
Nutrition training
Individual plan for six months
Digital devices
Digital tools to help you reach your goal – smart scales, smartwatch, and app
What is the price?
The price includes the insertion of the balloon, the development of an individual nutrition plan, daily communication with a nutritionist and a physician, if necessary, digital devices for daily weight monitoring, strict and clear guidelines for both the adaptation period and everyday life.
Want to apply but can’t pay the full amount at once?
Funding with Klix or Aizdevums.lv is possible
price €4000
Significant weight loss
You lose 20–25% of your body weight.
30-minute procedure
Without surgery, endoscopy, or anaesthesia.
Sustainable results
Maintains newly gained weight in the long term.
Pay in instalments
Get the service now, pay later
Is this the right programme for me?
Allurion Gastric Balloon is a fast, safe, and effective weight loss programme!
- BMI > 27
- Age 18–65
- No gastrointestinal surgery is performed;
- No acute or chronic gastritis, ulcers;
- Not pregnant at the moment;
- I’m ready for changes!
Calculate your BMI
(Body mass index)
Digital tools to achieve your goal
- Smart scales – Allurion scales
- total fat kg and %; muscle kg and %
- Smartwatch – Allurion smartwatch
- connected to the scale and an app on your phone synchronised with specialist devices to monitor daily weight loss progress.
- Daily step counter
- 3. App on your phone
- connected to the scale, smartwatch
- weight loss progress curves
- for communication with specialists on daily issues
- daily tasks and reminders in the app for steps, water, sleep, and proper nutrition
- 4. Coach Iris – 24/7 – Artificial Intelligence – Doctors’ answers to questions about the programme
Dr Jūlija Balandina
Dr Balandina is an experienced physician working in the area of weight loss and providing a multidisciplinary approach. She updates her knowledge on a regular basis by attending international seminars on the latest technologies in weight loss. Dr Balandina is an experienced specialist in the field of preventive medicine and has a passion for healthy living. Dr Balandina works in a team with lead nutritionist Sandija Šplīta, together achieving outstanding results.
Sandija Šplīta
Sandija Šplīta is an experienced nutritionist who creates individual nutrition plans and works with patients on a daily basis, not only to help them lose weight, change their body circumference, reduce blood pressure, and improve their blood test results, but also to radically change their lifestyle in the long term.
Sandija Šplīta does not accept strict diets or calorie deficit that produce short-term results, but ensures lasting changes by organising daily meals, macronutrients, and micronutrients. She helps different patients to lose more than 900 kg of weight every year.
What are the testimonies?
Frequently asked questions
- The balloon, when in the stomach, provides a lasting feeling of satiety and reduces hunger.
- The brain receives signals that the stomach is full, and no more food is needed.
- The balloon creates a barrier in the stomach that prolongs the digestion of the ingested food.
- Body weight loss of 20–25% over 6 months.
- Normalisation of hypertension.
- Normalisation of insulin resistance and glucose levels.
- Reduction of impaired carbohydrate tolerance (prediabetes).
- Normalisation of cholesterol and lipid parameters.
- Radical visual changes in body contours and circumference.
Clinical studies show that 95% of patients maintain their new weight 12 months after Allurion balloon removal.
The Allurion balloon technology is 26% safer compared to endoscopic balloon insertion procedures, as it is not performed under general anaesthesia. Other balloon insertions require general anaesthesia and have a high risk of puncturing the oesophagus or stomach during the procedure. These types of balloons also require removal under general anaesthesia once the desired results have been obtained. The Allurion gastric balloon system can be swallowed with water, minimising this risk. The balloon breaks on its own and is eliminated from the body 16 weeks later.
Compared to other bariatric weight loss methods, the Allurion system is the most comfortable and safe for the body, as it does not involve the high risks associated with surgery, the healing process, general anaesthesia, and a long rehabilitation period.
- Two days of rest and time off work are recommended after insertion, and insertion can be scheduled at the end of the week to have an opportunity to rest during the weekend.
- Intensive physical activity is not recommended for 7–10 days.
- Scuba diving and skydiving are not recommended during the four-month period.
- There are no other restrictions – you can travel by plane three days after insertion, and you can do sports, jumping, abdominal exercises, etc. in 7–10 days, depending on how you feel.
In a one-to-one consultation with a physician and nutritionist, you will get detailed information on:
- preparation for the procedure;
- course of the procedure;
- nutrition during the adaptation period and possible sensations;
- answers to any unclear questions.
The balloon is made of a very thin vegan polymer that breaks naturally after 16 weeks and is eliminated from the body through the digestive tract. The balloon organically fits closely to the stomach walls, adapting to the shape of the stomach.
The Allurion programme is not funded by the state. This procedure can be recommended by your general practitioner for weight loss in case of specific indications.
You should contact your insurers to find out whether your insurance company covers the cost of this procedure. This usually depends on the insurance type and programme.
It takes up to 30 minutes to insert the balloon. The Allurion gastric balloon is the first technology of this type that does not require endoscopy or general anaesthesia for insertion and removal. During the procedure, a small capsule containing the balloon is swallowed with water. Once the capsule is in the stomach, the first X-rays are taken to ensure correct positioning. The balloon is filled with 550 ml of saline through a thin catheter attached to the capsule. Repeated X-rays are performed to ensure that the balloon is correctly positioned, then the catheter is disconnected, and the balloon remains in the stomach for 16 weeks. The balloon breaks and is discharged naturally through the digestive tract 16 weeks later. In 50% of cases, the patient does not know at what point the balloon is discharged.
Yes, there is a recent clinical study indicating that intensive lifestyle changes with a 16-week Allurion programme, including both diet changes and physical activity, result in significantly greater weight loss compared to lifestyle changes with diet and sport alone. In the study, 72% of participants achieved a 15% weight loss in relation to their total body weight over 16 weeks using the Allurion balloon, compared to 8% of those who tried to lose weight with diet and sport alone. The Allurion programme provides more effective results because it is accompanied by an effective nutritional programme that allows patients to feel less hungry, achieving satiety faster and maintaining it for a longer time.
After successful insertion, you can continue doing any physical activities, but you may experience some side effects at first, such as nausea, which will subside in about 3–5 days. You can resume going to a gym or doing sports depending on how you feel, 7–10 days after insertion.
No. The Allurion gastric balloon system physiologically adapts to the stomach wall without affecting the waist circumference or causing visual changes. Unless you tell others that you have a balloon in your stomach, they will not know.
The results of several clinical trials show that after about 6 months, the Allurion gastric balloon and an individualised diet plan can achieve an average weight loss of 20–25%. If the patient wishes to continue losing weight, the balloon can be reinserted after a two-month break.
No. After 16 weeks, the balloon dissolves and is eliminated from the body naturally. In very rare cases – 0.002% – an intervention is needed to remove the balloon.
Bariatric surgery
- surgery under general anaesthesia
- surgical intervention
- drugs required after surgery
- risk of infection
- risk of blood clot
- complications after general anaesthesia
- possible future nutrient absorption disorders
- long rehabilitation process
- irreversible result, even if there are complications
- 27% higher risk of complications during and after surgery
- 25–30% weight loss
- price from 4,000 to 5,500 € (depending on the type of procedure, including examinations, medications, tests)
Allurion balloon
- non-invasive procedure, without anaesthesia
- endoscopy is not required.
- no surgical intervention
- rehabilitation takes up to 2 days, which includes nausea, possibly vomiting
- it is not an irreversible procedure; the balloon remains in the stomach for 16 weeks and is then excreted
- 0.02% risk of complications
- 20–25% weight loss
- price 4000 € (including 6-month program, repeated consultations, diet plans, 100% support, smart scales, smartwatch, app, etc.)
Phone
Address
Work hours
Workweek 9.00- 19.00
Weekends – Slēgts
