Procedure

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What Is Bariatric Embolization and How Does It Work?

Bariatric embolization is a minimally invasive treatment offered by interventional radiologists, doctors who use X-rays and catheters to treat conditions inside the body without large incisions. This procedure targets the left gastric artery—a blood vessel that supplies part of the stomach responsible for producing a hormone called ghrelin, which increases appetite⁽¹⁰²¹⁾.
By reducing blood flow to the stomach’s “hunger center,” bariatric embolization lowers ghrelin levels. Patients usually feel less hungry and often lose weight gradually afterward².

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Step-by-Step Explanation of the Procedure

Before the Procedure

You will meet with the medical team for counseling about diet and lifestyle changes, complete lab tests, and undergo imaging to map your stomach’s blood supply⁽³⁰⁾.
The doctor may recommend starting stomach-protecting medications and provide instructions about fasting on procedure day⁽³⁰⁾.
Most people take antibiotics before the procedure to reduce infection risk⁽³⁰⁾.

The Day of Your Procedure

Arrival & Prep
- You arrive at a hospital or outpatient center. You may be given sedation, so you are calm and comfortable but typically awake.
- The skin near your wrist or upper thigh (groin) is cleaned and numbed².
Catheter Insertion
- A small tube called a catheter is threaded into your artery through a tiny incision. This is usually in the femoral (leg) or radial (wrist) artery⁽²⁰²⁾.
X-ray Mapping
- The doctor uses X-ray guidance to steer the catheter up to the stomach’s blood vessel system and pinpoint the left gastric artery (LGA), which feeds the hunger-regulating part of your stomach¹².
Advanced Imaging
- Sometimes extra scans (CT or cone-beam) are performed to ensure the catheter is perfectly positioned, and the stomach’s blood supply is carefully mapped. This is important to minimize risk to healthy tissues¹.
Blocking the Artery
- When the catheter reaches the LGA, tiny beads or particles are gently injected. These block the artery, reducing blood flow to the stomach’s fundus and lowering ghrelin production².
Safety Checks
- Contrast (a dye visible on X-rays) is injected to confirm that only the right area is blocked and that no other parts of the stomach or other organs are affected².
- Stomach-protective medications and artery muscle relaxers are used to help avoid vessel spasm and stomach ulcers during and after the procedure¹².
Completing the Procedure
- The catheter is withdrawn and the incision covered with a bandage. There is no need for stitches²⁰.
Recovery
- Patients usually stay a few hours or overnight for observation. Nurses will monitor your comfort, and doctors may prescribe further stomach-protecting medicines as needed²¹.

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After Bariatric Embolization

Most people experience mild abdominal discomfort, low-grade fever, or nausea for a few days. These side effects usually improve within a week⁽²⁴⁾.
Serious side effects are extremely rare. One major complication (requiring ICU stay but eventually resolved) has been reported in published research out of more than 100 patients²⁴.
Temporary mild stomach ulcers have been documented, but most heal with basic treatment.
Almost all patients return to normal activities within a few days, resuming normal eating, walking, and work⁽²⁴⁾.
The most common effect is a consistent feeling of reduced hunger several weeks after the procedure, which can help with successful long-term weight loss.

Safety and History Information

Bariatric embolization is a new use of a safe, well-established technique. Doctors have used this procedure for more than 40 years to stop life-threatening stomach bleeding with high success rates and low risk of severe complications⁽¹⁹²³⁾.
Using this approach specifically for elective weight loss started in research studies about a decade ago. Long-term safety and weight loss data are still being reviewed worldwide²⁰⁹.
No deaths directly caused by bariatric embolization for weight loss have been reported in published clinical trials (covering more than 500 patients who received the procedure)⁽⁷²⁴⁾.
Minor side effects like stomach pain, nausea, or temporary small ulcers have been reported in up to 60% of cases, but almost always resolve with basic treatment.
Major complications have occurred in less than 1% of cases and are typically treatable with hospitalization.

Complication	Rate in Published Studies
Deaths	0 (none reported)²⁴
Severe complications (hospitalization)	<1% (1 major event)⁷
Minor symptoms (pain, nausea, ulcers)	up to 60%⁷²⁴

Annotated Bibliography

^{¹ Bariatric Embolization of the Gastric Arteries for the Treatment of Obesity. Gunn AJ, Weiss CR. Radiology. March 13, 2015.}

^{² Bariatric Embolization of Arteries for the Treatment of Obesity (BEAT Obesity). Weiss CR, et al. Radiology. April 2019.}

^{⁷ Bariatric arterial embolization in patients with body mass index between 25-40 kg/m2: A systematic review. Levigard, Elens, Zaitoun, et al. PubMed Central. December 29, 2023.}

^{⁹ Establishing a Multidisciplinary Bariatric Arterial Embolization Program. SciDirect. September 24, 2025.}

^{¹⁰ Bariatric Left Gastric Artery Embolization for the Treatment of Obesity. Radiology. December 22, 2015.}

^{¹² Bariatric Artery Embolization for Obese Patients. An Up-to-Date Review. Marta Pirlet et al. Journal of Clinical Medicine. September 25, 2023.}

^{¹⁹ Left Gastric Artery Embolization for Control of Gastric Bleeding. Bookstein KA, Chlosta RD, et al. Radiology. May 31, 1973.}

^{²⁰ Bariatric Embolization for Obesity: A New Frontier for Interventional Medicine. Syed M, Endovascular Today. April 2017.}

^{²¹ Nursing Care of a Patient Undergoing Bariatric Embolization. ScienceDirect. Accessed October 2025.}

^{²³ Left gastric artery embolization for recurrent massive intraluminal postoperative bleeding after revisional laparoscopic one anastomosis gastric bypass surgery. Kukeev I, Quint E, et al. Journal of Surgical Case Reports. May 2024.}

^{²⁴ Bariatric Embolization: Are Patients Actually Losing Weight? Endovascular Today. April 2018.}