Nanoblock procedure (experimental) / gastric artery embolization

I was browsing www.clinicaltrials.gov and came across an experimental procedure, still being tested, and, as it turns out, there is a facility offering it in Dayton, OH.

It is artery embolization, i.e. blocking some of the blood flow to the area of the stomach which produces grehlin. This some of the same area removed in a gastric sleeve. It is the area which is used to make the pouch for the Roux and Y gastric bypass, so you can't do that after embolization.

There are a number of physical requirements that have to be met to even qualify for the procedure. If you read over the requirements for the clinical trials, you'll see what things might exclude you. Here is the link for the study being done at Johns Hopkins: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02165124 The criteria are about halfway down the page.

As it is experimental, insurance won't cover it. Insurance might cover any complications from it, but you'll want to check with any insurer covering you. I was quoted $6,000 for up to 2 attempts to place the catheter and deliver the microbeads to the area.

At this point, I am a borderline candidate due to problems with borderline low platelet counts (increased bleeding risk). Although it has been over 20 years ago, they got down to 38,000 at one point and normal is over 150,000.

I was warned that I could experience some months of nausea, possibly vomiting, and if severe, maybe even an ulcer.

Individuals who have had gastric artery embolization for other purposes have lost a modest amount of weight. Per Johns Hopkins

"Following bariatric arterial embolization, participants had an average excess weight loss of 5.9 percent, 9.5 percent and 13.3 percent at one, three and six months, respectively. Excess weight loss is the percentage of pounds lost above the patient's ideal body weight.

Participants reported an average 81 percent, 59 percent and 26 percent decrease in hunger/appetite score at two weeks, one month and three months, respectively. "

I don't think I would pay someone to do that to me. I had nausea on and off for weeks following RNY and it is something I would not volunteer to get. Or pay for it.

Imo - Probably the nausea is causing the weight loss... trust me - when you have it - the last thing you want is food. If they restrict the blood flow - the area needs to create scar tissue - with you low platelet count, are you still a candidate?

Plus ..6 months with average 13.5 %? When I was MO - the 13% was just app 30 lbs. That's like 5 lbs per month at best... I could lose that with diet ...

I would wait until there is more data....

Some of us overeat when we are not hungry - so gherlin is not always to blame for overeating.

If you decide to do - consider the long term consequences.

It seems likea lot of risk and complications, for very little weight loss, for a very short duration.

I was never interested in being a guinea pig. There are great, highly effective, permanent surgical options.

I'm glad scientists are investigating alternatives. I think they'll eventually come up with a better solution, but I don't think this is it.

I use to work for those doctors in Dayton who are doing that clinical trial. Great group of doctors in my opinion. I don't know much about it, but I'm glad to see they are still at it.

I appreciate that they are looking for more solutions to help obese people. But for me, hunger wasn't a part of me stuffing my stomach to full. It was for emotional/coping/comfort reasons. My hunger was irrelevant so getting rid of it was not a huge factor for me with surgery. Not being able to hold a large pizza with room to spare was!

I would be terrified of someone messing with my arteries. Even as desperate as I was before my surgery I don't think I would have gone there.

Since I had a kind of mutant RnY with a near total gastrectomy (for different health reasons) my fear likely makes absolutely no sense though.

Others are welcome to it - and it may turn out to be a great thing.

When I did Weigh****chers, I was constantly hungry to the point it distracted me from my life. I don't care about losing tons of weight. Just turning off that d*mn appetite would be good.

If I was going to go for something surgical, I'd consider the Brazilian physician, Dr Santoro's idea of an entero-omentectomy. He did that on some diabetic patients and it seems to have been helpful for them.

It is too bad none of the research on omentectomy has thought to collect pulmonary function testing. Removal of the omentum might reduce intra-abdominal pressure sufficiently to reduce reflux and obstructive sleep apnea, regardless of actual weight loss (research looking at omentectomy with bypass didn't find any significant improvements in hormones, nor weight loss).

If you have a problem with constant hunger, then this experimental procedure might be your answer. Just know that they give you no promises, even with proven procedures. IMO - if they want to experiment on you and collect data, they should be footing the cost...just sayin.