COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING HIGH-DOSE PERCUTANEOUS ETHANOL INJECTION INTOHEPATIC-TUMORS

Purpose: Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) with a 2-10 mi ethanol dose per session is widely used in the treatment of small hepa tocellular carcinoma. Larger doses have been restricted for fear of co mplications. The aim of the present study was to make a retrospective evaluation of the complications following treatment of hepatic tumors with high doses of ethanol (up to 200 mi). Material and Methods: The m edical records of 15 patients treated repeatedly with PEIT were review ed retrospectively to detect side effects or complications. Eleven of these patients had undergone transarterial chemoembolization (TAE) pri or to PEIT. Of 173 ethanol injections in doses of 2-200 mi (mean 49 mi ), more than 10 mi had been injected on 138 occasions. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences in pain frequency among the various dosage groups. Results: Serious complications did not occur. P ain was a common side effect, occurring in 48% of the procedures. Imme diate pain during the treatment was related to the ethanol dose and in creased significantly with increasing doses (p<0.01). Other side effec ts were rare. Conclusion: PEIT with doses higher than previously repor ted seems to be safe. This should encourage further clinical studies t hat aim at fully working out the clinical value of such treatment.