ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the long-term effect of hepatic arterial embolization with pingyangmycin-lipiodol emulsion (PLE) in patients with cavernous hemangiomas of the liver (CHL)and its influence factors.Methods One hundred and fifty-six hemangiomas that were diagnosed by imaging examinations or confirmed pathologically by surgery in 105 patients with integral follow-up data were analyzed retrospectively in this paper.All hemangiomas were divided into 4 groups according to their size (the largest size of hemangioma)by the authors as follows; A group(≤3 cm, n=25); B group(>3 cm and<5 cm, n =32) ;C group(≥5 cm and<10 cm, n=58); and D group(> 10 cm, n=41) .According to the number of abnormal sinusoids filled with the contrast medium in the angiography, 156 hemangiomas of this series were further classified as three types: abundant type (n=90) ; sparse type (n=9) and the middle type (n=57) .Hepatic arterial embolization with PLE was performed in the 105 patients with total 135 procedures (including single procedure in 75 patients, twice procedures in 30 patients).All of the 105 patients were followed up 3 to 8 years(mean 4 years) using US, CT or MRI or DSA.The criteria for the evaluation of curative effect were classified as best, good, recovery and no change in this series, and the sum of best and good effects were defined as the total effective rate.Then, the total effective rate of single procedure between the A, B groups and C, D groups; and the total effective rate of single procedure and twice procedures in the D groups, were compared statistically by X~2 test respectively.And the influence factors, included of the variant size of hemangiomas, abundant or sparse of abnormal sinusoids and the number of treatment procedures, were also analyzed and evaluated respectively.Results The total effective rate of the 156 hemangiomas in 105 patients was 92.95% (145/156).After single procedure of hepatic arterial embolization with PLE, the total effective rate of A and B groups were 100% (57/57), that of C and D groups were 85.86% (85/99), and the difference reach significant (X ~2=8.8553, P<0.01).In the D group, the total effective rate in group with twice procedures (100.00%,30/30) was significant higher (X~2 =5.2642,P<0.05) than those of group with single procedure (72.73%,8/11).Of this series, during the period of following-up, no recurrent or severe complications were observed.Conclusions A best long-term curative effect (complete cure) is usually obtained in the small hemangiomas with abundant abnormal sinusoids, and a satisfactory long-term curative effect can also be achieved in the larger or multiple hemangiomas, particularly in those hemangiomas with abundant abnormal sinusoids by using the repeat procedures of hepatic arterial embolization with PLE.