Hydration-Driven Self-Gelling Particulate Embolic Agent for Precise and Stable Occlusion of Hemorrhagic Vessels with...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Interventional Radiology
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Embolization of small, collateral-dependent vessels is challenging.
• Conventional liquid agents risk nontarget embolization.
• Particulate agents can lead to recanalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an injectable embolic system combining particulate control with liquid stability.
• To address limitations of current embolic agents in complex vascular networks.

Main Methods:

• Development of a hydration-driven self-gelling polyethylenimine/poly(acrylic acid) (PP) particle system.
• Intravascular delivery using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for size-sieved particle transport.
• In situ hydrogel formation triggered by solvent exchange with blood.

Main Results:

• The PP/DMSO/I system achieved precise embolization without distal migration.
• Superior hemostasis in a rabbit mesenteric artery hemorrhage model (2.1 ± 0.3 g blood loss).
• Outperformed commercial particulate agents and matched liquid agent efficacy, eliminating nontarget embolization risks.

Conclusions:

• The hydration-driven self-gelling particulate embolic system is a paradigm shift in embolization therapy.
• Offers a precise, durable, and safe solution for hemorrhage management in complex vascular networks.
• Represents a significant advancement over existing liquid and particulate embolic agents.