Abstract
Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed in 20 patients from April, 1982 to February, 1984. These patients had unresectable hepatomas due to extreme tumor extension and/or advanced accompanying cirrhosis. Angiographically, solitary hypervascular mass was seen in 8 patients, solitary mass with daughter nodules in 10, and central portal vein obstruction was in 6 patients ; 3 in the portal vein trunk and 2 in the first branch of the portal vein.
Embolic material was gelatin sponge permeated with MMC 20mg and contrast material. Under fluoroscopic guidance, these embolic materials were infused into the feeding artery through the catheter which was inserted distally to the proper hepatic artery.
Eight patients out of 20 were died until March 31, 1984. Four patients out of 8 showed proximal obstruction of the portal vein by tumor thrombus. Twelve patients are alive. Three patients out of 6 more than one year after the initial TAE are alive. Two patients with recurrent or metastatic tumor after hepatectomy are also alive.
