Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles are type of permanent embolization agent used in interventional radiological procedures.
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Mechanism of action
When injected, PVA particles adhere ot the vessel wall, activating the coagulation cascade and leading to vessel occlusion by provoking thrombus formation 1.
Advantages
permanent 2
inexpensive 3
ease of use 3
Disadvantages
inadvertent end organ embolization 1
aggregation within microcatheter causing blockage 4
proximal aggregation within the vessel 5
recanalization 4, 5
Indications
brochial artery embolization
external carotid artery branch embolization
renal artery embolization
Types
During the manufacturing process, a block of PVA foam is produced and then shaved to produce tiny particles. These are then passed through differently sized seives to separate particles of the desired size 4.
PVA particles are supplied as dry particles which require rehydration before injection. This is done with a contrast agent to allow visualization on fluoroscopy.
Different ranges of particle size are provided to suit the chosen vessel - smaller particles are suitabl for a more distal/smaller vessel.
sizes can range from 90-2800μm 5.
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