Short-Segment Coil Embolization Using a Double-Balloon Technique in an Experimental Vascular Model

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of short-segment coil embolization between 2 balloons for tight packing in an experimental vascular model.

Materials And Methods: Three coil embolization techniques were performed by 5 interventional radiologists as follows: (1) proximal balloon technique (proximal BT) which involved proximal balloon inflation and coil deployment over the balloon, (2) distal balloon technique (distal BT) which involved distal balloon inflation and coil deployment at the proximal side of the inflated balloon, and (3) double-balloon technique (DBT) which involved coil deployment between 2 inflated balloons. We used a 10-mm-diameter and 200-mm-long hydrocoil. The distance between the 2 inflated balloons was set at 5 mm in the perfused tube, and each procedure was performed twice. The longitudinal lengths of the deployed coil mass and volume embolization rates (VERs) at the embolization site obtained using the 3 techniques were compared statistically.

Results: The longitudinal lengths of the deployed coil mass were 26 mm (range, 21-34 mm), 10 mm (8-14 mm), and 5 mm (5-5 mm) in proximal BT, distal BT, and DBT, respectively. The median VERs were 15.9% (12.2-19.4%), 41.4% (29.6-51.8%), and 82.9% (82.9-82.9%), respectively. Significant differences in the lengths and VERs were observed among the 3 techniques (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: DBT achieved the tight packing of a hydrocoil in a short segment of an experimental vascular model compared with proximal BT and distal BT, suggesting DBT as the optimal embolization technique in this model.