Water-Borne Endovascular Embolics Inspired by the Undersea Adhesive of Marine Sandcastle Worms.

ABSTRACT: Transcatheter embolization is used to treat vascular malformations and defects, to control bleeding, and to selectively block blood supply to tissues. Liquid embolics are used for small vessel embolization that require distal penetration. Current liquid embolic agents have serious drawbacks, mostly centered around poor handling characteristics and toxicity. In this work, a water-borne in situ setting liquid embolic agent is described that is based on electrostatically condensed, oppositely charged polyelectrolytes-complex coacervates. At high ionic strengths, the embolic coacervates are injectable fluids that can be delivered through long narrow microcatheters. At physiological ionic strength, the embolic coacervates transition into a nonflowing solid morphology. Transcatheter embolization

SUBMITTER: Jones JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5703062 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature