# Improving outcomes in endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms: Combining additive manufacturing, in-silico modeling, and shape memory polymers

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE · 2024 · $672,572

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devasting acute neurological disease that remains a major cause of
premature mortality. SAH is most caused by incidental rupture of an intracranial aneurysm (ICA). The mortality
rate of aneurysm rupture can reach as high as 40% within the first week of incidence. Even if the aneurysm is
treated in a timely manner, the chance of moderate to severe brain damage is 20-35%. Endovascular coil
embolization is the current gold-standard, minimally invasive therapy of ICAs; however, emerging clinical
challenges of coil embolization are unsatisfactory aneurysm recurrence rates: ~44% by 5-6 years after the initial
coil therapy (of which more than 50% requiring re-treatment), and suboptimal complete occlusion, especially for
treating wide-necked ICAs and/or aneurysms with a complex 3D geometry. Thus, there is a need for a durable
device to treat unruptured ICAs that targets patient-specific aneurysms and intra-aneurysmal circulation and
provides long-lasting complete occlusion. Our research objectives of this project are to: 1) design and fabricate
personalized embolic devices for treating saccular, bifurcated IACs using additive manufacturing and a combined
experimental/biomechanical approach, and 2) provide a holistic biomechanical and hemodynamic comparison
between our device and other selected endovascular embolic techniques. This proposal builds upon the
assembled preliminary data, and leverages Dr. Lee’s experience with tissue biomechanics and in-silico
modeling, in collaboration with polymer science and additive manufacturing researchers at the University of
Oklahoma, clinical and neurosurgical expertise of clinicians at Indiana University – Medicine, and micro-device
and catheter expert at Purdue. Specifically, we propose to design, develop, and evaluate patient-specific SMP
embolic devices using 3D printing-based polymer fabrication. Our embolic devices are designated to target
personalized aneurysm filling and maximize the rate of long-lasting complete occlusion. Next, through in-vitro
flow loop testbed and in-vivo small animal studies, the efficacy and aneurysm occlusion of our personalized
embolic devices will be systematically evaluated in comparison to the clinical gold standard as well as three other
contemporary embolic methods. The endpoint of this project will be a cutting-edge solution for ICA embolization,
that uses fundamental information on aneurysms based on holistic biomechanical and hemodynamic analyses
– allowing individual-optimized aneurysm filling to achieve immediate & long-term complete occlusion and reduce
aneurysm recurrence. Collectively, our developments will serve as a logical first step toward attaining our long-
term goal to advance the state of the art in translational medicine by facilitating personalized, preventive
management of unruptured ICAs and reduce aneurysm rupture-induced hemorrhagic strokes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11055929
- **Project number:** 7R01HL159475-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
- **Principal Investigator:** Chung-Hao Lee
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $672,572
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2022-08-23 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11055929

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11055929, Improving outcomes in endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms: Combining additive manufacturing, in-silico modeling, and shape memory polymers (7R01HL159475-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11055929. Licensed CC0.

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