INTRAHEPATIC AND PERI-HEPATIC EFFECTS OF ETHANOL INJECTIONS IN THE PIG-LIVER

We studied the intrahepatic (spread and scarring) and perihepatic effe cts of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy and its dose-necrosis re lationship in normal pig livers. Ethanol (99.5%) was injected in volum es of 0.5-2.0 ml into the livers of six pigs during laparotomy. The li vers were dissected and studied histopathologically 30 min and 2 weeks after the injections. Ethanol-induced liver necrosis, the diameter of which could roughly be calculated by dividing the injected dose by 2 (inversely: volume (ml) = 2 x diameter (cm)). Two weeks after the inje ctions all pigs showed intra-abdominal adhesions and severe intrahepat ic scar formation, unlike three control pigs similarly operated on wit hout ethanol injections. The 30-min lesions showed thin projections ex tending into the neighboring liver tissue. Major escape of ethanol out side the needle tip area in the liver occurred twice. Uncontrolled spr ead of ethanol may be a potential hazard of this treatment.