Evaluation of the Degree of Interventional Embolization by Measuring Local Arterial Blood Pressure

Abstract

Embolization is a common treatment method for tumor targeting, antiorgan hyperfunction, as well as hemostasis. However, the injection of embolic agents largely depends on the experiences of doctors, and doctors need to work in an X-ray environment that hurts their health. Furthermore, even for a well-trained doctor, complications, such as ectopic embolism caused by excessive embolic agents, are always inevitable. This article proposes a method for quantitatively evaluating the degree of interventional embolization by using local arterial blood pressure. Flow simulation and in vitro experiments were conducted in which the end vascular network was treated as porous media and simulated by sponges. The results show that local blood pressure is strongly related to the degree of embolism. This relationship was also confirmed by an animal experiment in which the renal artery of a pig was embolized. The feasibility of this method in clinical surgery is discussed. It is concluded that local arterial blood pressure can be used as a criterion for judging the degree of embolization, especially in determining the endpoint of embolization.