COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSCATHETER ARTERIAL EMBOLIZATION FORHEPATIC-TUMORS

Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is widely used in the treatm ent of hepatic tumors, A total of 2,300 TAE procedures were performed with a 2-15-mL injection of a mixture or suspension of anticancer drug s and iodized oil, followed by administration of gelatin sponge partic les. One or two chemotherapeutic drugs, including doxorubicin hydrochl oride (10-30 mg), epirubicin hydrochloride (10-30 mg), mitomycin C (10 -20 mg), and cisplatin (25-100 mg), were used for each procedure. Comp lications were encountered in 4.4% of cases (n = 102) and were related to the use of chemoembolic agents or the manipulation of a catheter o r guide wire. These complications included acute hepatic failure (n = 6), liver infarction (n = 4) or abscess (n = 5), intrahepatic biloma ( n = 20), multiple intrahepatic aneurysms (n = 6), cholecystitis (n = 7 ), splenic infarction (n = 2), gastrointestinal mucosal lesions (n = 5 ), pulmonary embolism or infarction (n = 4), tumor rupture (n = 1), va riceal bleeding (n = 3), and iatrogenic dissection (n = 35) or perfora tion (n = 4) of the celiac artery and its branches. Knowledge of these complications is important for correct diagnosis and appropriate mana gement.