COMPRESSIBLE INTRAVASCULAR EMBOLIZATION PARTICLES AND RELATED METHODS AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS

1 . A compressible embolization particle comprising a substantially spherical porous particle having pores that extend to the surface of said particle wherein said particle has a diameter ranging from about 1,000 microns to about 10,000 microns when hydrated and fully expanded.

2 . The particle of claim 1 , wherein the particle has a diameter ranging from about 2,000 microns to about 4,500 microns when hydrated and fully expanded.

3 . The particle of claim 1 , wherein the particle has a diameter ranging from about 3,000 microns to about 4,000 microns when hydrated and fully expanded.

4 . The particle of claim 1 , wherein the particle comprises a PVA polymer.

5 . The particle of claim 1 , wherein said particle is hydrated.

6 . The particle of claim 5 , wherein said particle can be compressed in one dimension to about 80% of the diameter of the hydrated particle.

7 . The particle of claim 5 , wherein said particle can be compressed in one dimension to about 25% of the diameter of the hydrated particle.

8 . The particle of claim 1 , wherein the surface or interior pores of a dehydrated particle can have a diameter of 50 microns or more.

9 . The particle of claim 1 , wherein the surface or interior pores of a dehydrated particle can have a diameter of 100-microns or more.

10 . The particle of claim 1 , further comprising a porous annular ring around said particle.

11 . An embolization device comprising the embolization particle of claim 1 and a catheter having a lumen to receive said particle.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the embolization particle is disposed in the lumen of said catheter.

13 . The device of claim 12 , further comprising a 3-way connection component operably coupled to the catheter, and two syringes operably coupled to the 3-way connection component.

14 . A method of embolization comprising:

positioning a distal portion of the embolization device of claim 12 in proximity to a target area of a blood vessel, and

ejecting the particle from the lumen of said embolization device such that the particle is positioned in the target area.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the particle expands from its compressed state to an expanded state upon ejection from said lumen.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the non-compressed particle has a diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the target area of the blood vessel.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the particle in the expanded state is substantially fixed in position in the vessel.

18 . A method of loading an embolization particle into a catheter comprising:

positioning an embolization particle of claim 1 in a luer hub of a catheter;

coupling a syringe containing hydration fluid to the luer hub;

operating the syringe to urge the embolization particle out of the luer hub and into the catheter;

removing the syringe from the luer hub; and

urging the embolization particle through the catheter and into a target area of a patient with a guidewire.

19 . A method of loading an embolization particle into a catheter comprising:

positioning an embolization particle of claim 1 in a luer hub of a catheter;

coupling a three-way stopcock to the luer hub, wherein the stopcock is coupled to a first and a second syringe, wherein one or both of the syringes initially contain hydration fluid;

operating the first syringe to urge the embolization particle out of the luer hub and into the catheter; and

operating the second syringe to urge the embolization particle through the catheter and into a target area of a vessel.

20 . A method of embolization comprising

providing at least one embolization particle of claim 1;

urging the embolization particle through a catheter wherein the particle is in a compressed state; and

positioning the embolization particle in a target vascular area, wherein the particle expands to an expanded state upon exiting the catheter.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the urging of the particle through the catheter is a guidewire.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the urging of the particle through the catheter comprises applying fluid pressure to the particle.

23 . A method of embolization comprising:

positioning a first embolization device in a target vascular area; and

positioning a second embolization device in proximity to the first embolization device, wherein at least one of said embolization devices comprise the embolization particle of claim 1 .

24 . A method of making a compressible embolization particle, comprising:

mixing polyvinyl alcohol (“PVA”), a porogen, and a gas to form a foam; and

injecting the foam into a mold.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the mold is a hollow sphere formed from two halves of a sphere.

26 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising trimming the annular ring formed at the junction of said two halves.