MINIMALLY INVASIVE CATHETER IMPLANTATION FOR REGIONAL CHEMOTHERAPY OFTHE LIVER - A NEW PERCUTANEOUS TRANSSUBCLAVIAN APPROACH

Purpose: Development of a percutaneously implantable catheter system f or regional chemotherapy of liver metastases and its application in pa tients with surgically implanted but dislocated catheters. Methods: Th irty-three patients with liver metastases of colorectal tumors were su bmitted to percutaneous puncture of the subclavian artery and insertio n of a catheter whose tip was placed in the proper hepatic artery and whose end was subcutaneously connected with an infusion pump. Results: The mean duration of therapy via the percutaneously inserted catheter was 27 weeks (+/- 14 weeks). The most frequent complication was disco nnection of the therapy catheter from the tube of the infusion pump. E ighty percent of all complications were corrected by reintervention. T he therapy drop-out rate due to catheter-associated complications was 9%. Conclusion: Percutaneous insertion of a catheter for regional chem otherapy of the liver is a relatively uncomplicated method with high p atient acceptance and simple access for reintervention.