The sodium hyaluronate microspheres fabricated by solution drying for transcatheter arterial embolization

Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is an effective therapeutic method for several clinical ailments. Interminably, the polymer microsphere is reflected as one of the idyllic embolic materials due to the exceptional biocompatibility and microcatheter administration. Herein, a one-step solution drying technique was first developed to fabricate sodium hyaluronate microspheres cross-linked by 1,4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) for transcatheter arterial embolization. The monodispersed sodium hyaluronate microspheres with a diameter range from 350 to 900 μm were obtained by this technique without any complicated instrument and extra surfactant, which is consistent with the standard distribution of commercial embolic microspheres. Additionally, barium sulfate (BaSO₄) nanoparticles were introduced as the contrasting mediator to improve the X-ray imaging capability of sodium hyaluronate microspheres and then achieve a real-time trace and discernibility in vivo. A significantly embellished mechanical strength and compressibility for BaSO₄@SH microspheres were also observed. In vitro biocompatibility evaluation revealed non-cytotoxicity and great hemocompatibility of BaSO₄@SH microspheres. Moreover, the histopathological analysis and computed tomography images of the embolized kidney confirmed the effective occlude blood and in vivo visibility capability of BaSO₄@SH microspheres for at least 4 weeks. Conclusively, such an inexpensive and environmentally friendly technique for fabricating BaSO₄@SH microspheres might be a promising strategy to promote the development of transcatheter arterial embolization in practice.