Preliminary Results with a New Vascular Basket Occluder in Swine

Abstract

To experimentally evaluate a new self-anchoring vascular occlusion device suitable for use in large, high-flow vessels. A basket-shaped occluding device consisting of a nitinol frame (with or without polyester threads) covered with Dacron was evaluated in the common iliac arteries and abdominal aortae of normal pigs. One occluder was placed in each recipient vessel. Angiography was performed before and after placement of each occluder. Precise placement of the device was achieved in all cases. Mechanically, all but one occluder worked dependably. Angiographically, devices without polyester threads produced only partial occlusion. Devices with threads produced complete occlusion in all but one abdominal aorta, in which partial occlusion occurred because the occluder opened asymmetrically. Complete iliac arterial occlusion occurred within 2-8 minutes of placement and aortic occlusion was achieved within 8-20 minutes. At necropsy, all devices were found to be securely anchored against the vascular wall. Preliminary results indicate that this vascular basket occluder containing polyester threads is easy to place precisely, produces rapid embolization, and demonstrates good self-anchoring ability in a high-flow arterial model.