Balt’s Squid Liquid Embolic for Treating cSDH Evaluated in Published STEM Trial

December 3, 2024—Balt, Inc., developer of the investigational Squid liquid embolic, recently announced the publication of STEM—the Squid trial for the embolization of the middle meningeal artery (MMA) for the treatment of chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH).

Balt stated that STEM is a prospective, multicenter, international randomized controlled trial composed of 310 patients and conducted under an investigational device exemption. The trial compared patients who received embolization of the MMA with Squid liquid embolic as an adjunct to standard surgical or medical management versus those who received standard treatment alone.

According to the company, STEM showed that among patients with symptomatic cSDH, adjunctive MMA embolization resulted in a lower risk of treatment failure than standard treatment alone (16% vs 36%) without resulting in an increased incidence of disabling stroke or death in the short term.

David Fiorella, MD, et al published the STEM findings in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Fiorella and Adam Arthur, MD, serve as coprincipal investigators of the trial.

Dr. Fiorella is from Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, New York. Dr. Arthur is from Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

“This pivotal trial provides critical information to guide how we are treating our cSDH patients,” commented Dr. Fiorella in Balt’s press release. “STEM results show that adding MMA embolization to surgical or medical management reduces the incidence of recurrence or additional procedures, which is critical for this largely geriatric patient population.”

Dr. Arthur added, “Embolization of the MMA has rapidly evolved towards becoming the standard of care for patients suffering with cSDH. These data confirm that the paradigm shift we have been seeing in clinical practice over the last few years is the most appropriate approach for these patients and can reduce treatment failures with this challenging disease state.”