Second-Generation Hydrogel Coils for Transcatheter Arterial Embolization of Acute Arterial Bleeding in the Body Trunk.

This article evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of second-generation hydrogel coils in transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for acute arterial bleeding in the body trunk. In a retrospective study of 24 procedures performed on 23 patients with various bleeding etiologies—including iatrogenic injury, gastrointestinal bleeding, trauma, and aneurysm rupture—second-generation hydrogel coils were used predominantly (median 78% of coil length) and achieved 100% technical and clinical success rates, defined as complete arterial occlusion and absence of rebleeding within 24 hours, respectively. These coils, characterized by an inner hydrogel core that expands to occlude vessels independently of thrombus formation, offer improved softness and deliverability compared to first-generation coils, making them suitable for emergency embolization, including in patients with coagulopathy. The study reported one major complication unrelated directly to the coil itself and suggests that second-generation hydrogel coils are a safe and effective embolic option for managing acute arterial hemorrhage in urgent clinical settings.