Nursing Care of a Patient Undergoing Bariatric Embolization

Recently, there has been research in interventional radiology regarding a new experimental treatment called bariatric embolization. The procedure involves embolizing the left gastric artery (LGA) to suppress the production of the hormone ghrelin in the fundus of the stomach. This procedure is done using a percutaneous minimally invasive technique and has been performed in an outpatient setting. Early clinical data support bariatric embolization as a potentially safe and efficacious procedure that warrants further investigation for its utilization in managing weight loss in the morbidly obese. The purpose of this article is to discuss the nursing implications of a new procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity (i.e., body mass index >40 kg/m2) involving LGA embolization.