Hepatic artery embolization for bleeding and tumors

Abstract

Hepatic artery embolization has become a standard treatment for liver hemorrhage from a variety of lesions, including trauma, pseudoaneurysms, hematobilia, and arteriovenous fistulas. Embolization is also useful in properly selected cases of bleeding secondary to portal hypertension. It is valuable for many primary and secondary neoplasms when the lesion is unresectable and either there is no other effective treatment or other treatment has failed. Hypovascular tumor deposits have poor response rates, and the author no longer embolizes such lesions, whereas the benefits can be dramatic in the case of a hormone-secreting tumor. Hemorrhage from a tumor can also be controlled.