Mortalities associated with use of a commercial suspension of polyvinyl alcohol.
Two cases of symptomatic neonatal hepatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) are presented. Both were treated with percutaneous transcatheter embolization and a commercially available polyvinyl alcohol suspension. Both infants died soon after AVM embolization. The results of laboratory examination of particle-size homogeneity of this commercial suspension demonstrate marked inhomogeneity of particle size very probably contributed to the death of these patients. A protocol has been developed to help determine appropriate particle size in individual cases; this may help prevent such catastrophic results during transcatheter embolization.
Repa
I
I
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic, Minneapolis 55455.
Moradian
G P
GP
Dehner
L P
LP
Tadavarthy
S M
SM
Hunter
D W
DW
Castañeda-Zúñiga
W R
WR
Wright
G B
GB
Katkov
H
H
Johnson
P
P
Chrenka
B
B
D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000628:therapy; D004617:Embolism / Q000139:chemically induced; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply; D010316:Particle Size; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000009:adverse effects*
D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol