PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF BARIUM-SULFATE AND METHYL IOTHALAMATE LOADED POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL) MICROSPHERES AS RADIOPAQUE PARTICULATE EMBOLI

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microspheres impregnated with barium sulphate and methyl iothalamate, having diameters ranging from 100 to 1500-mu-m were prepared by the glutaraldehyde cross-linking of an aqueous dispersion of PVA containing the radiopaques in paraffin oil using dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOS) as the stabilizing agent and thionyl chloride as the catalyst. While the use of thionyl chloride allowed the formation of spherical, nonaggregatory beads, other catalysts such as magnesium chloride and hydrochloric acid gave rise to an agglomerated product. The radiopaques were found to be firmly trapped inside the microspheres as they did not leach out on prolonged standing in water, on sonication, or on stem sterilization. Microspheres with pores and channels were also made by incorporating a fine powder of methyl methacrylate along with barium sulphate during their preparation and washing out the polymer after the microspheres were formed. The porous nature of such microspheres was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Microspheres containing the radiopaques exhibited hydrophilicity, swelling ability, and compressibility to a significant extent. The radiopaque nature of the microspheres was confirmed by their x-ray images. In vitro tests using heparinized calf blood showed that the microspheres were nonhaemolytic in nature. These microspheres may find application as radiopaque emboli in particulate embolization.