Bariatric endoscopy · UK
Orbera intragastric balloon, with the coaching that makes it work.
A 6-month silicone balloon, placed and removed endoscopically by a bariatric endoscopist - wrapped in 12 months of dietitian and psychology coaching. The balloon is the tool; the programme is what holds the weight loss.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A specialist bariatric endoscopist, in an MDT unit
Not a cosmetic clinic. A named therapeutic endoscopist working with a bariatric dietitian, psychologist and physician as part of a proper weight-loss programme.
- 02
The balloon is a tool, not a cure
We only recommend Orbera when there is a 12-month coaching plan around it. Without lifestyle change, the weight comes back after removal.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private intragastric balloon costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner units. Send us your height and weight and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A full Orbera programme with 12 months of coaching: £4,500–£7,500, home the same day.
| Programme | Indicative range | Typical duration | In-body time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bariatric consultation and screening endoscopy | £800–£1,600 | 60–90 min | Same visit |
| Orbera 6-month balloon (placement + removal + 12-mo coaching) | £4,500–£7,500 | 20–30 min | 6 months |
| Spatz3 adjustable balloon (up to 12 months, all-in) | £5,500–£8,500 | 30–45 min | 12 months |
| Allurion swallowable capsule (16 weeks, no endoscopy) | £4,500–£6,500 | 20 min | 16 weeks |
| Combined balloon plus GLP-1 programme (12 months) | £6,500–£9,500 | Ongoing | 12 months |
| Second-opinion review of prior weight-loss plan | £250–£450 | 30 min | 48 hours |
A warning worth naming. There are cosmetic clinics in the UK offering balloons without a bariatric MDT, without screening endoscopy and without a coaching programme. We will not refer to them. Every provider on our panel meets the same MDT standard as an NHS bariatric unit.
The journey
From first enquiry to removal - what happens, in order.
One team from first message to the coaching year after removal - including screening endoscopy, placement, monthly dietitian sessions and removal.
- 01
Before
You send us your height, weight and history
A short confidential form. BMI, previous diets, any reflux or eating-disorder history, and what you have tried already.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether Orbera, Spatz3 adjustable, Allurion swallowable or a GLP-1 route fits best. Indicative price. An honest read either way.
- 03
Before
Bariatric consult and screening endoscopy
Consultant assessment, dietitian and psychology screening, and an upper GI endoscopy to exclude a large hiatus hernia, ulcer disease or malignancy.
- 04
Before
Two-week PPI and three-day liver-shrink diet
A proton-pump inhibitor for two weeks and a low-carbohydrate diet for three days shrinks the liver and makes placement safer and cleaner.
- 05
On the day
Balloon placement, 20 to 30 minutes
Conscious sedation or brief general anaesthetic. The folded silicone balloon is passed transorally, inflated in the stomach with 500 to 700 mL of saline plus methylene blue, and position is checked.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
A short recovery, written aftercare and anti-emetics, PPI and antispasmodics in hand. You will need someone to collect you after sedation.
- 07
After
Coaching, then removal at six months
Monthly dietitian and coaching for six months, then endoscopic removal (puncture, aspirate, extract) under sedation, and six more months of coaching to hold the loss.
When it helps
When a balloon is the right step - and when it is not.
The patients we say yes to most often, plus the situations where a balloon is the wrong tool and we say so.
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BMI 27 to 40 with previous failed diets
You have tried structured lifestyle change and medication, and the weight has not shifted or has come back.
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You decline bariatric surgery
Sleeve gastrectomy or bypass is not something you are willing to do, but you want a reset and a structured programme.
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Bridge before surgery at high BMI
A pre-operative balloon to lose 10 to 15% before major bariatric or orthopaedic surgery makes the operation safer.
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A reset alongside a GLP-1 programme
Semaglutide or tirzepatide has stalled, or you want an early kick-start while titrating up to a maintenance dose.
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Regain after prior lifestyle success
You lost weight before and it came back. A balloon with 12 months of coaching gives structure to the next attempt.
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Large hiatus hernia (over 5 cm)
Not suitable for a balloon. A hernia this size raises the risk of reflux, migration and mucosal injury and needs a different plan.
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Undiagnosed eating disorder
Binge, purge or restrictive patterns need psychological work first. A balloon in an unscreened eating disorder can cause harm.
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Red flag: severe reflux, PUD, prior gastric surgery
Active peptic ulcer, uncontrolled reflux, previous gastric surgery, coagulopathy or pregnancy are contraindications.
Procedure options
Orbera sits in a family of options - not on its own.
What each option actually involves, and which fits which patient. We will tell you which two or three are worth comparing for you.
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Orbera (Apollo Endosurgery)
The best-studied option. A silicone balloon placed endoscopically, filled with 500 to 700 mL of saline and methylene blue, worn for 6 months, then removed endoscopically.
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Spatz3 adjustable balloon
Similar placement but the volume can be adjusted up or down mid-course, and it can stay in for up to 12 months. Useful if early symptoms are hard to tolerate.
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Allurion Elipse swallowable capsule
No endoscopy at placement or removal. A capsule on a thin catheter is swallowed, filled with 550 mL of fluid, then passes naturally at 16 weeks. See our dedicated page.
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Reshape dual balloon
A twin-chamber balloon that was designed to reduce migration risk. Discontinued by the manufacturer and no longer offered in the UK.
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Balloon plus GLP-1 programme
A balloon for the first 6 months, a GLP-1 (semaglutide, tirzepatide) started before removal and continued for 6 to 12 months to hold the loss.
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Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
A stitched reduction of the stomach volume with a suturing device. More durable than a balloon, no foreign body left inside, longer procedure.
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Bariatric surgery
Sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or SADI-S. Larger, more durable weight loss than any balloon, but real surgery with a longer recovery.
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Coaching-only programme
Dietitian, psychology and exercise support without a device. Slower results, but no procedure risk and every gain is your own.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of bariatric-endoscopy units, we picked them.
HCA The Wellington Bariatric, King\'s Private Bariatric, Chelsea and Westminster Private Advanced Endoscopy, London Bridge Hospital and Cromwell BUPA all sit within our network - alongside consultant-led bariatric-endoscopy clinics.
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Consultant bariatric endoscopists working within an MDT (dietitian, psychology, bariatric physician)
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JAG-accredited units with a screening upper GI endoscopy before placement
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A 12-month coaching package around every balloon, not just the device
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Onward pathways to endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, TORe, SADI-S or a GLP-1 clinic when a balloon is not the right call
Safety, side effects and long-term
What to expect - honestly.
The evidence: 10 to 15% total body weight loss at 6 months, roughly 30 to 40% maintain the loss at 12 months post-removal with a lifestyle programme. Weight regain is common without ongoing support.
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Nausea, vomiting and cramping for 3 to 5 days
The peak symptom window after placement. Anti-emetics, a PPI and antispasmodics are prescribed as standard. Hydration matters more than food.
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Graduated diet over 2 to 4 weeks
Liquid for the first few days, then pureed, then soft, then normal textures. The dietitian sends written instructions and reviews you weekly.
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Persistent reflux in around 10%
A daily PPI helps; a minority need early removal. A large hiatus hernia at screening is a reason not to place a balloon in the first place.
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Early intolerance (2 to 5%)
A small number of patients cannot settle after placement and need the balloon removed early. We plan for this rather than pretend it will not happen.
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Balloon deflation is rare
Methylene blue in the saline turns urine blue-green if the balloon leaks - a signal to attend urgently for removal before migration into the small bowel.
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Migration and obstruction are very rare
A deflated balloon can very rarely pass into the small bowel and obstruct. Symptoms are severe cramping and vomiting - go straight to A&E.
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Gastric ulceration
Mucosal ulceration under the balloon is uncommon on modern PPI regimens. Do not stop the PPI early, and flag any dark stools or coffee-ground vomit.
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Weight regain without coaching
Around 30 to 40% of Orbera patients hold the loss at 12 months post-removal - the ones who do are the ones who did the coaching work.
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Red flags after discharge
Severe pain, persistent vomiting beyond a week, blue-green urine, black stools, coffee-ground vomit, or fever - call the unit or go to A&E the same day.
Reading your placement report
Your balloon report in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever device is used, the report the endoscopist sends you keeps to the same shape.
- 01 Header
Balloon type, fill volume and dye
Which device (Orbera, Spatz3, Allurion), the fill volume (usually 500 to 700 mL of saline) and confirmation that methylene blue was added.
- 02 Technique
Placement and position check
How the balloon was passed and inflated, and the endoscopist's check that it is sitting freely in the gastric body away from the pylorus.
- 03 Findings
Screening findings and complications
What the pre-placement endoscopy showed - hiatus hernia size, ulceration, H. pylori status - and any events during placement.
- 04 Impression
Coaching schedule and removal date
Read this first: your dietitian follow-up dates, PPI regimen, red-flag symptoms, and the booked removal at 6 months.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Most insurers class intragastric balloons as lifestyle weight-loss and do not fund them. We confirm cover before booking and quote a firm self-pay figure otherwise.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about intragastric balloons.
Quick answers on Allurion versus Orbera, weight regain, cost, insurance, other balloons, and coaching.
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Allurion versus Orbera - which should I choose?
Both give similar 10 to 15% total body weight loss. Allurion is a swallowable capsule worn for 16 weeks with no endoscopy at either end - simpler, but a shorter reset. Orbera is placed and removed endoscopically and stays for 6 months, giving a longer window for behaviour change and more supervised coaching. If a screening endoscopy shows something that needs treating anyway, Orbera makes sense; if the endoscopy is clean and you want the least invasive option, Allurion is a reasonable pick.
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Will the weight come back after the balloon is out?
Around 30 to 40% of Orbera patients hold the loss at 12 months post-removal, and the group that holds it are the ones who did the coaching. That is why we only recommend Orbera as part of a 12-month package with monthly dietitian and psychology support. Adding a GLP-1 medicine (semaglutide, tirzepatide) around removal is now common and improves 12-month maintenance.
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How much does an intragastric balloon cost in the UK?
A full Orbera programme (placement, removal and 12 months of coaching) is usually £4,500 to £7,500. Spatz3 adjustable balloons are £5,500 to £8,500. Allurion swallowable capsules are £4,500 to £6,500. Adding a GLP-1 medicine programme adds roughly £1,500 to £2,500 over 12 months.
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Will my insurance cover an intragastric balloon?
Not usually. Most UK private medical insurers class balloons as a lifestyle or cosmetic weight-loss treatment rather than a medically indicated procedure, and pay only when a strict BMI threshold, documented comorbidity and a formal bariatric MDT decision are in place. We check cover before booking and give you a firm self-pay figure if the insurer declines.
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What other balloons and alternatives exist?
The main options in the UK are Orbera (silicone, 6 months, endoscopic), Spatz3 (adjustable, up to 12 months, endoscopic) and Allurion Elipse (swallowable capsule, 16 weeks, no endoscopy). The Reshape dual balloon has been discontinued. Beyond balloons, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, TORe (for regain after bypass), SADI-S surgery and dedicated GLP-1 clinics all sit on the same map.
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Why is the coaching programme non-negotiable?
A balloon reduces stomach capacity for a fixed period. What changes long-term outcomes is what you eat, how you move and how you handle stress and reward while the balloon is in - and after it comes out. Monthly dietitian sessions, psychology input where needed and a maintenance plan around removal are what turn a 6-month device into a durable result. We will not arrange a balloon without a coaching package around it.
Ready to start?
Send us your height, weight and history. We come back within a working day.
One short confidential form. We match you to a bariatric endoscopist, a coaching programme and a firm quote across two or three balloon and non-balloon options. Independent, and free.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
-
Allurion swallowable balloon
The 16-week capsule alternative, placed without endoscopy.
Learn more -
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG)
A stitched reduction of the stomach with a suturing device.
Learn more -
TORe (transoral outlet reduction)
For weight regain after gastric bypass.
Learn more -
SADI-S bariatric surgery
Single-anastomosis duodeno-ileal switch with sleeve.
Learn more -
GLP-1 weight-loss clinic
Consultant-led semaglutide and tirzepatide programmes.
Learn more -
Wegovy (semaglutide) programme
Structured Wegovy titration with dietitian support.
Learn more -
Obesity (condition guide)
The full map of treatment routes for obesity.
Learn more -
Send Enquiry
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