Percutaneous hepatic arterial catheterization for infusion chemotherapy in treatment of primary hepatoma

ABSTRACT

Chemotherapy offers palliative treatment to patient with advanced nonresectable hepatoma. The usefulness of systemic chemotherapy is limited becaused of serious side reaction and low concentration of drug at tumor. Butthis problem may be overcome by intraarterial infusion. Nonsurgical percutaneous hepatic arteiral catheterizationwas done in 21 patients with primary hepatoma, and infusion chemotherapy was done in 19 patients who were successful in catherization. The results were as follows; 1. Selective catheterization of hepatic artery proper,common hepatic artery, and celiac artery were seccessful in 4, 9 and 4 patients, respectively. The success rate ofselective catheterization is 80.9% including celiac artery among 21 patients with hepatoma. 2. Simple catherization method was applied in 14 patients, and catheter exchange and Loop methods were applied in 2 and 1patient respectively. 3. Complications related to catheterization, such as infection and bleeding on punctured site, intimal injury and dislodgement of catheter were not serious. 4. Drugs were well tolerated without serioustoxicity or complication. 5. 3 patients showed objective response and median survival time of treated patients is 2.5 months.