title: Catheter seeding of hepatocellular carcinoma following placement of a total implantable access port system.
abstract: A 61-year-old cirrhotic patient underwent hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma and placement of a total implantable access port system in the hepatic artery for chemotherapy infusion. A year later, he developed a parietal metastasis at the port site as a consequence of tumor seeding along the arterial catheter. The metastasis was excised but the patient died because of disseminated disease two years after the first operation. Tumor seeding along the catheter should be included in the group of potential complications after placement of total implantable access port systems for intrahepatic chemotherapy The possible causes of this rare but life-threatening complication are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alessiani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vai
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jemos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dionigi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moroni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nastasi
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Fossati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zonta
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000556:secondary*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding