Transcatheter hepatic artery embolization of liver cancer

From March 1985 to September 1985, transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization was performed in 17 primary hepatoma and 8 metastasis of liver in Department of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine. Metastasis cancers of liver were one nasopharyngeal cancer, one small bowel leiomyosarcoma, one gall bladder cancer and 5 colon cancers. The used embolization materials were the followings: Gelfoam particles for one primary hepatoma, 95% absolute ethanol for 4 patients, lvalon (250-590 μ m) for 19 patients and autologous blood clots for one metastasis. The results were summarized as the follows: 1. The devascularization of tumor vessels in post-embolization hepatic angiogram was complete in 6 primary hepatoma and one metastasis and partial in 11 primary hepatoma and 7 metastasis. 2. In the follow-up CT evaluation 3 to 4 weeks after embolization, well necrotic density was revealed in 8 primary hepatoma and one metastasis. 3. The complications were fever with higher than 38 .deg. C (92%), abdominal pain (72%) and nausea or vomiting (40%). They were subsided within one to 7 days after embolization. 4. In liver function study, sGOT and sGPT were elevated in 96% of total cases and retuned to normal within 3 to 7 days. Alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 80% of total cases and retuned to normal within 15 to 30 days. LDH was variable. In 4 cases of absolute ethanol infusion, above liver enzymes were markedly elevated as 10 times or more as normal range