Embolization is a minimally invasive procedure that blocks one or more blood vessels and/or abnormal vascular channels. It is a procedure that uses particles, such as tiny gelatin sponges or beads, to block a blood vessel. It can be used to stop bleeding or to block the flow of blood to a tumor or abnormal area of tissue. Embolization requires various types of embolization particles, such as PVA particles, microspheres, drug-eluting beads, radioembolization spheres, and other products such as coils, plugs, and liquid embolic. It is used to treat various chronic diseases such as uterine fibroid, cancer, and other complications of chronic diseases.
Thus, with the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as neurovascular diseases, heart diseases, cancer, and others, the demand for embolization is also increasing at a rapid pace. For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Embolization can be used to treat some types of kidney cancer, liver cancer, and neuroendocrine tumors. It can also be used for people with tumors that are too large to be treated with ablation and who also have an adequate liver function.
Embolization is an option for some patients with tumors that cannot be removed by surgery. Moreover, embolization can be used to close off vessels supplying blood to a tumor, control or prevent abnormal bleeding, treat aneurysms, and/or eliminate abnormal connections between arteries and veins. Embolization is a highly effective way to control bleeding and is much less invasive than open surgery. Endovascular embolization (EE) is an invasive surgical procedure used to treat abnormal blood vessels found in the brain, as well as other areas of the body. This is an alternative to open surgery.
Embolization can be used to treat many conditions such as a brain aneurysm, a weakened blood vessel in the brain that collects blood and can bleed. Minimal risk of infection, high success rate, faster recovery time, no scarring, and rare use of general anesthetics are some features of vascular embolization agents.