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Aneurysm Super-Glue?

CBS News reported yesterday that ground-breaking headway has been achieved in the field of aneurysms. A new super-glue like material is set to save lives across the country.

An aneurysm occurs when a blood vessel stretches and sometimes bursts. According to The Brain Aneurysm Foundation, approximately 25,000 Americans suffer from aneurysms each year. Aneurysms can lead to severe disability or even death in some cases. In order to prevent bleeding it’s necessary to fill the aneurysm space, and the new treatments offers just that.

CBS News Correspondent Don Teague reported on “The Early Show,” yesterday that a new treatment for aneurysms is saving lives. The treatment acts as a sort of super-glue for the body and this life changing procedure is changing lives across the nation.

Ten years ago, treatment for aneurysms almost always meant a very invasive open surgery with large incisions. Today with this new treatment, doctors are able to correct the problem from the inside out. They are basically able to fill the aneurysm with the glue-like substance.

This stupendous substance is called Onyx. While old methods left patients with lengthy recuperation times, Onyx shortens both the length of the surgery as well as the recuperation. According to The University of Pittsburgh, Onyx was released in late 2007 as the first liquid embolic agent to be available in the United States for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

As of yet, there are few medical centers using this ground-breaking technology. In November of 2007, the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center became the third location in the United States to use Onyx 500 for treatment.

The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) advises that the use of the new technology should be performed by physicians who have had adequate training with this procedure. Physicians looking to use this new treatment should contact an ev3 Neurovascular sales representative for information on training courses.