EMBRACE Study: Enduring Migraine Benefit From Responsive Artery Coil Embolization

Enduring Migraine Benefit From Responsive Artery Coil Embolization (EMBRACE): A Single-Site, Non-Significant Risk Pilot Study of Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization Using FDA-Cleared Coils for Refractory Episodic Migraine

This single-site, open-label pilot study evaluates the safety, feasibility, and potential durability of the TEMMA procedure (Targeted Embolization for Migraine Management), an endovascular treatment strategy targeting meningeal arterial contributors to migraine. Adults aged 18-60 with refractory migraine despite prior preventive therapies are eligible. The study assesses migraine outcomes over 12 months using patient-reported headache frequency, pain intensity, acute medication use, migraine-related disability (MIDAS), and quality-of-life measures (MSQ v2.1).

This is an investigator-initiated, prospective, single-site, open-label pilot study designed to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and potential durability of the TEMMA procedure (Targeted Embolization for Migraine Management), an endovascular treatment approach targeting meningeal arterial contributors to migraine symptoms. TEMMA represents a structured clinical program applying endovascular treatment principles to patients with refractory migraine.

Participants undergo a baseline assessment period that includes prospective headache diary collection, capturing headache presence, pain intensity, and acute medication use, along with baseline migraine-related disability and quality-of-life assessments. Endovascular treatment is performed as part of the TEMMA program using FDA-cleared devices in accordance with institutional clinical practice. Procedural techniques, vessel selection, materials, adjunctive assessments, and treatment sequencing are determined by the treating physician and are not fully standardized within this pilot study.

Adjunctive assessments, which may include intra-procedural physiologic or pharmacologic evaluations, may be performed at the discretion of the treating physician to inform clinical decision-making but are not required for study participation and are not used as mandatory eligibility criteria.

Participants are followed longitudinally with serial headache diary data and standardized patient-reported outcome measures collected at predefined intervals through 12 months following treatment. The primary endpoint is change in monthly headache days compared with baseline. Secondary endpoints include changes in headache intensity, acute medication use, migraine-related disability, quality of life, and durability of symptom improvement.

Safety is monitored throughout the study through adverse event reporting with independent physician oversight.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-60 years

• Diagnosis of migraine (with or without aura)

  -≥8 headache days per month

• Failure of ≥2 preventive medication classes

• Ability to complete electronic headache diary and surveys

• Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Secondary headache disorders
• Prior MMA embolization
• Contraindication to angiography or embolization
• Pregnancy
• Inability to comply with follow-up