Bioabsorbable Metallic Alloy Coils for Aneurysm Treatment
University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed new bioabsorbable metallic alloy coils coated with polyurethane based on fatty amide functional groups for treating various aneurysms.
Description
Aneurysms develop due to abnormal localized dilation of an artery. Arterial dilation in the brain results in a cerebral aneurysm at risk of rupture, which can result in catastrophic life-long consequences or death. These novel alloy coils have the potential to change treatment approaches in patients, considerably improving patient outcomes.
Applications
1. Cerebral aneurysm 2. Renal aneurysm 3. Stroke prevention 4. Surgical stents for other uses
Advantages
Current treatment approaches for aneurysms include surgical clipping, endovascular coiling, and flow diversion devices. While endovascular coiling is often the best option, there are concerns that long-term contact with foreign materials in the body could delay the recovery process. In as many as 30% of cases, aneurysms recur within one year and the exiting coil often prevents proper visualization of the aneurysm making diagnosis and treatment challenging.
These novel metallic alloy coated bioabsorbable coils could overcome many of these challenges. Firstly, while initially occluding the aneurysm, the fatty amide-based polyurethane urea (PHEUU) elastomer used to fabricate the Mg-alloy coil not only protects the coil from corrosion but could also promote healing. Secondly, as the coils degrade in the body with time, the risk of complications due to the presence of a permanent foreign body is removed. Additionally, the PHEUU matrix could also be used to deliver drugs or other therapeutic agents directly to the aneurysm site.
Invention Readiness
In vitro and in vivo data have shown the potential of these coils as a novel approach for treating aneurysms. Prototype Mg-alloy coils have been produced using various fatty amide-based PHEUU coatings. Testing on animal models have shown the potential of these coils to not only treat an aneurysm successfully but also to initiate tissue generation to fill the aneurysm. Once these coils degrade, they would be replaced with new tissue over time.
