Brain tumors: Complications of cerebral angiography accompanied by intraarterial chemotherapy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the rate of complications associated with diagnostic c erebral angiography accompanied by intraarterial chemotherapy for the treat ment of primary and metastatic brain tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Three hundred ninety-two consecutive transfemoral cer ebral angiographic procedures accompanied by intraarterial chemotherapy wer e performed in 48 patients (28 men, 20 women), and complications were evalu ated. RESULTS: The most common local complications were groin hematomas, which oc curred in 10 (2.6%) of the 392 procedures and none of which required therap y. Two carotid arterial dissections (0.5%) were reported in two patients wh o were asymptomatic and did not require further treatment. Both improved at follow-up examinations. Only one patient required surgery for a delayed po pliteal embolus. Systemic transient complications occurred five times (1.3% ). There were seven (1.8%) transient neurologic events, which were paresis and visual disturbances. Six (1.5%) transient seizure events were recorded. There were no permanent neurologic complications. CONCLUSION: Intraarterial chemotherapy for brain tumors is a safe procedure with a low complication rate.