Physicians are using a bioactive coated coil to repair brain aneurysms and getting promising results.
A brain aneurysm is a weakening of a blood vessel within the brain. It may not cause any symptoms for a long time but then it may rupture, leading to serious bleeding within the brain. Aneurysms can be treated by surgery and for many years the approach has to be insert a tiny coil which will form a clot within the aneurysm.

Doctors at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital have been working with the new Matrix coil, which has been developed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles. Two patients have received the coil so far and there are two other centers in Canada - Toronto Western and Foothills Hospital in Calgary - pioneering the new technology.

The Matrix coil is known as a bioactive coated coil and it promotes a faster and better organized clot within the aneurysm. This prevents it from re-opening and makes for better healing. So far it has been used with around 400 patients worldwide.