Safety and Efficacy of Peripheral Embolization with EASYX Liquid Embolic Agent: A Multicenter Prospective Study

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of EASYX, a new nonadhesive precipitating liquid embolic agent based on a polyvinyl alcohol ether polymer labeled with iodine molecules, for peripheral embolization.

Materials and methods: This open-label prospective multicenter study was conducted on 50 consecutive patients treated with embolization using EASYX in 3 academic hospitals from April 2018 to July 2019. Indications for embolization were symptomatic varicocele (n = 15), type II endoleak (n = 8), acute hemorrhage (n = 16), portal vein embolization (PVE; n = 9), or angiomyolipoma (AML; n = 2). Patient characteristics, technical and clinical success rates, pain at injection, and satisfaction of the interventional radiologists were assessed. Follow-up imaging was performed using ultrasound for varicoceles (at 1 month) and computed tomography (CT) for the other indications (at 3 or 6 months).

Results: The immediate technical success rate was 98%. The clinical success rates were 100% for acute hemorrhage and type II endoleaks, 89% for PVE, 86% for varicoceles, and 50% for AMLs. Patients who underwent PVE showed significant hypertrophy of the future liver remnant at follow-up (P < .001), and 55.6% of patients proceeded to hepatectomy. The absence of artifacts on imaging allowed improved monitoring of the aneurysmal sac in patients with type II endoleaks. The satisfaction rate of the interventional radiologists was >90% for 5 of 7 items.

Conclusions: EASYX as a novel copolymer liquid embolic agent was safe and efficient for peripheral embolization. The absence of tantalum allowed reduced CT artifacts on imaging follow-up, which was especially useful in patients with type II endoleaks.