Blood-Derived Biomaterial for Catheter-Directed Arterial Embolization

Vascular embolization is a life-saving minimally invasive catheter-based procedure performed to treat bleeding vessels. Through these catheters, numerous metallic coils are often pushed into the bleeding artery to stop the blood flow. While there are numerous drawbacks to coil embolization, physician expertise, availability of these coils, and their costs further limit their use. Here, a novel blood-derived embolic material (BEM) with regenerative properties, that can achieve instant and durable intra-arterial hemostasis regardless of coagulopathy, is developed. In a large animal model of vascular embolization, it is shown that the BEM can be prepared at the point-of-care within 26 min using fresh blood, it can be easily delivered using clinical catheters to embolize renal and iliac arteries, and it can achieve rapid hemostasis in acutely injured vessels. In swine arteries, the BEM increases cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, and connective tissue deposition, suggesting vessel healing and durable vessel occlusion. The BEM has significant advantages over embolic materials used today, making it a promising new tool for embolization.