Washington: Researchers have developed foam shape memory polymers that could cure Aneurysms.
The researchers funded by NIBIB in Texas A and M's bioengineering department are moving rapidly to provide a better treatment by using the unique properties of (SMPs) for this serious disorder which affects thirty thousand Americans.
The group, which is led by Associate Professor Duncan Maitland, is using SMPs in a pig model of brain aneurysm to develop a minimally-invasive procedure that fills and stabilizes the aneurysm.
The scientists have observed that partial healing was seen at 30 days post-procedure and almost complete healing had occurred at 90 days in the pig model.
The foam contains tiny compartments that result in the development of a matrix of blood clots that further stabilize the structure. The investigators found that unlike the aneurysms filled with metal coils, the foam structure produced little inflammation and allowed natural healing, defined by the growth of new cells at the border between the foam and the wall of the damaged blood vessel.
The study is published in the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research.
