Embolization of complex vascular lesions.

Embolization, first described nearly a century ago, has recently emerged as a durable first-line treatment of many vascular conditions particularly in the field of endovascular surgery. As technological advancements allow easier and safer access to small and remote lesions, embolization is being utilized more frequently to treat difficult lesions. This technology has been used most extensively in the treatment of abnormal arteriovenous communications, where it has emerged as a first-line therapy. Recently, the application of these techniques to treat visceral artery aneurysms has been explored, with encouraging results. The endovascular therapy of aortic aneurysms has revealed numerous other applications for embolization therapy, including the treatment of iliac artery aneurysms and of failed aneurysm exclusion or endoleak. Embolization offers a minimally invasive treatment for lesions which have traditionally been considered inoperable, as well as those requiring extensive surgical resections and/or reconstructions that are associated with high morbidity.