REPAIRING weakened blood vessels in the brain may soon be less hazardous thanks to a device that protects damaged areas.
When a weakness develops in the wall of a blood vessel, the pressure of the blood can cause it to balloon out, forming what is called an aneurysm. At least 2 per cent of people in the UK and US are thought to have aneurysms in the brain, putting them at risk of a haemorrhage.
They are treated either by surgery to clip the base of the aneurysm or by inserting platinum coils into the cavity. The coils promote the formation of a clot in the cavity to relieve pressure on the weakened part of the blood vessel. A metal mesh tube, or stent, is sometimes used to bridge the weakened section of blood vessel and keep the coils in place. However, there is still a risk of them escaping, with potentially serious consequences.
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Engineer Zhong You and colleagues at the University of Oxford have created a new flow-diverting stent with leaf-shaped sections that unfurl to deflect blood flow away from weak points. The devices, which remove the need for coils, can be individually tailored for each patient.
The team plans to begin testing its design in animals this year.
