EXPERIMENTAL SELECTIVE SEGMENTAL ABLATION OF RAT-LIVER BY TRANSPORTALETHANOL INJECTION

For use in the treatment of malignant hepatic tumors, we undertook sel ective segmental ablation of the liver by transportal ethanol injectio n, first studying its efficacy and safety in rats. We forced a 4:1 mix ture of ethanol and contrast medium from a syringe into hepatic tissue s via a branch of the portal vein in 80 Wistar rats. The amount of eth anol injected was from 0.05 to 0.60 ml. Soon after the injection, the hepatic segment treated with ethanol was yellowish-white with a distin ct outline. Two to three weeks after the injection, the segment was co mpletely necrotic. The findings when a mixture of ethanol and India in k was injected suggested that the necrosis was a direct result of the ethanol. The portal branch into which the injection was made was compl etely obstructed immediately after the injection. The maximum ethanol concentration in the peripheral blood was 0.4 mg/ml. No histological c hanges were found in any other organ. Liver and kidney function was al most unaffected. This technique might be useful clinically for the the treatment of malignant hepatic tumors.