Purpose: A new detachable microvascular plug (MVP, Reverse Medical®, Irvine, CA, USA) has been recently developed; three models are available according to the size (MVP3-MVP5-MVP7). MVP3 and MVP5 are released through a 0.027″ microcatheter, MVP7 through a 4 Fr catheter. This series aims to describe an initial single-center experience examining intraprocedural safety and technical success of MVP.
Materials and methods: Ten patients (mean age 55.1 years) have been treated for arterial embolization using MVP; eight extracranial and two intracranial arterial embolizations have been performed. The embolizations were because of: four bleedings, three aneurysms, two pseudoaneurysms, and one presurgical nephrectomy.
Results: MVP3 was used in five cases, MVP5 in four cases, and MVP 7 once. In all cases, the MVP was successfully released in < 1 min. In six patients, the MVP was the sole embolizing agent employed, while in four subjects, it was positioned complementary after coils. The technical and clinical success was obtained in 100%; hemorrhages were interrupted and aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms did not show recanalization at follow-up.
Conclusions: MVP seems to be a safe embolizing device that interventional radiologists should consider when facing arterial embolization of both body and neuroarterial districts; the main advantage is related to MVP3 and MVP5 models that can be adopted for distal embolization thanks to the precise release through 0.027″ microcatheter.
Keywords: Arterial; Embolization; Microcatheter; Microvascular plug (MVP).