Work in progress. Transcatheter thermal venous occlusion: a new technique

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Interventional Radiology
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Nonsurgical vascular occlusion is crucial for treating various vascular conditions.
• Existing methods like mechanical devices, tissue glues, and plastics can be complex and require specialized equipment.
• There is a need for simpler, safer, and more controlled methods for inducing venous thrombosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using heated Diatrizoate contrast agent for nonsurgical venous occlusion.
• To compare this novel technique with existing methods for vascular occlusion.

Main Methods:

• Diatrizoate (76%) contrast agent was heated to 100°C and injected into canine veins and one human volunteer.
• Follow-up venograms and histologic examinations were performed at intervals from one day to four weeks post-injection.

Main Results:

• All animals demonstrated thrombosis in the injected veins within one to five days after contrast agent injection.
• Histologic examinations confirmed venous thrombosis.
• The heated contrast agent was found to be rapidly converted into a nonsclerosing agent upon cooling.

Conclusions:

• Heated Diatrizoate contrast medium is a safe and convenient agent for inducing venous thrombosis.
• This technique offers a simpler alternative to mechanical devices, tissue glues, and plastics.
• The method allows for controlled thermal injury to the vascular wall under fluoroscopic guidance.