Polymeric Strand Replaces Platinum in Aneurysm Coiling Procedures

A novel aneurysm-treatment system will offer physicians an alternative solution to platinum coils in the treatment of large, giant, and wide-neck cerebral aneurysms, which are typically the most challenging to treat.

The cPAX aneurysm-treatment system provides effective embolization of large and giant cerebral aneurysms using an 85-cm long polymeric strand delivered through a microcatheter into a cerebral aneurysm over a guide wire. The soft, flexible material allows for increased packing density, providing conformable filling and increased packing density when compared to platinum coils. The continuous filling capability contributes to a reduction in the amount of devices necessary to complete the procedure, as well as the time required for treatment. Due to its soft polymeric material, it may also provide a more complete filling of the aneurysm and greater long-term stability.


Unlike platinum coils, which have a fixed detachment zone, the cPAX can detach at any point chosen by the clinician. The continuous filling capability of the product also decreases both the number of devices and the amount of time required for treatment. The polymeric material also allows for noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans without metallic artifact, allowing for better patient follow-up assessment. The cPAX system, a product of NeuroVASx (Maple Grove, MN, USA), has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a humanitarian use device for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms.

"This FDA approval brings an important cutting-edge technology to a patient population that is currently underserved,” said Eric Timko, president and CEO of NeuroVasx. "We are excited to offer this treatment to patients and we look forward to working with our key physicians to bring this product to market.”

A cerebral aneurysm is an abnormal bulge or sac in the wall of an artery in the brain, which can be caused by several factors including congenital defects, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, cancer, drug use, or head trauma. If a cerebral aneurysm ruptures, it can lead to a hemorrhagic stroke, or bleeding on the brain; approximately 40% of these patients do not survive the first 24 hours. The worldwide incidence of cerebral aneurysms is estimated to be 320,000 annually, approximately 200,000 of which may be treatable with intracranial surgery using minimally invasive techniques.

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