Percutaneous Transcatheter Metabolic Interventions: The Next Frontier?

Obesity is a pandemic. The prevalence of obesity (BMI >30) and morbid obesity (BMI >40) among American adults is approximately 30% and 5%, respectively.1 The condition is strongly associated with medical comorbidities (e.g., heart disease, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, stroke, obstructive sleep apnoea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis) and mortality, and has begun to overtake infectious diseases as the most significant contributor to illness worldwide. Furthermore, it is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, and considered one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century.2 Currently, there are three clinically viable treatment options for obesity: surgery, pharmacologic intervention, and intragastric balloon administration. However, these methods have varying success rates and are not free of complications. There remains a critical need for a minimally invasive intervention that can target this growing population.