Bariatric embolization is safe and effective for treating severe obesity, according to research presented this week at the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) annual meeting in Washington, DC.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Clifford Weiss at Johns Hopkins University has been evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the method in a trial called Bariatric Embolization of Arteries for the Treatment of Obesity (BEAT Obesity). The study enrolled 19 morbidly obese patients (body mass index ranging from 40 to 60) without comorbid conditions, and all patients received bariatric embolization using 300- to 500-micron microspheres (Embospheres, Merit Medical Systems).
The left gastric artery (LGA) alone was embolized in five patients, and the LGA and gastroepiploic arteries were embolized in 14 patients. The study's primary end points were weight loss and the occurrence of adverse events in the patients, who had a mean age of 45 years with a body mass index of 45.26.
Bariatric embolization was well-tolerated and also appears to have sustained weight loss up to 12 months after the procedure, the researchers found.
| Percent of excess weight loss by follow-up period | |
| Follow-up period | Percent of excess weight loss |
| 1 month | 8.4% |
| 3 months | 11.5% |
| 6 months | 18.3% |
| 12 months | 12.6% |
The researchers said they plan to gain more insight into the long-term efficacy of the procedures as the BEAT Obesity study continues.
