Thrombogenic microballoon for cerebral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and carotid cavernous fistula occlusion. Preliminary technical note.

A thrombogenic microballoon was developed to overcome the problems of cerebral aneurysm rupture during microballoon inflation and incomplete aneurysm obliteration by microballoons with subsequent fatal rupture. These complications occur in about 35% of reported series with current microballoon embolization techniques. The wall of the new thrombogenic microballoon allows 80% aneurysm occlusion by inflation, thus avoiding mechanical rupture, and at the same time it produces a blood clot in the space remaining between the microballoon and the aneurysm wall. This clot undergoes fibrosis with firm adherence of the microballoon to the aneurysm wall. Experimental evidence is presented to support these conclusions. This thrombogenic microballoon system is also applicable to carotid-cavernous fistulas and arteriovenous malformations.