Treating aneurysms with expanding foam

    It is possible to create foam that could help protect the brain from vascular aneurysms with less risks than current methods.
    The foam is biocompatible polyurethane-based shape memory polymer foam. The foam can be made into a primary shape, and then transformed into a new shape when subjected to an increase in temperature. This allows the foam to be inserted into the aneurysm site in a smaller, crimped shape, where it can be triggered to expand with a shot of laser light from an optical fiber. As the foam expands, it fills the aneurysm and forms a clot to help promote the growth of healing cells.