Bariatric embolization is a procedure for the treatment of obesity that is also known as left gastric artery embolization. This is a method that has been introduced only recently and that is currently in the midst of clinical trials that are, so far, proving to be quite promising.
In terms of being a treatment of obesity this procedure involves the percutaneous transarterial particle embolization of the supply of the gastric fundus. As this is the part of the body where the largest amount of cells producing ghrelin are located, that hormone is greatly reduced by this method.
What does all this mean in terms of being a treatment of obesity? First you need to know what ghrelin is and what effect it has on the body. Ghrelin is a hormone and is one of several that are considered to be central to the creation of the feeling of hunger within the body. While it’s easy to think that hunger is caused by an empty stomach, in truth that is not the case. Hunger may be triggered by an empty stomach, but the cause is a number of hormones that have affected your brain. You might be feeling it in your stomach, but it is happening in your brain.
Therefore, through bariatric embolization of arteries, the levels of ghrelin in the body can be reduced, thereby reducing hunger. From there, it isn’t difficult to understand how this could potentially make it easier for someone who has been suffering from obesity to be able to lose weight. After all, one of the primary reasons that it can be exceptionally difficult for an obese individual to lose weight is that the sensation of hunger can be overwhelming, leading to overeating.
When that powerful feeling of hunger is not as present, it can give the dieter control over what he or she eats and how much. This could potentially place the dieter in the driver’s seat so that he or she can bring down body fat to far healthier levels.
It is important to recognize that the research surrounding this procedure has not yet been completed. So far, it has been highly promising and the severely obese men and women who participated experienced notable hunger reduction and measurable weight loss. Once it is proven that this procedure is both safe and effective, it could mean that doctors will be able to add a minimally invasive procedure to the tools they can provide their patients when they need to lose weight for the sake of their health.
