A new liquid embolic material for liver tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility of a new liquid embolic material, Onyx, for treating liver tumors.


METHODS
Onyx is a mixture of 6% (w/v) ethylene-vinyl-alcohol copolymer dissolved in anhydrous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with 28% (w/v) tantalum powder. In addition to 6% Onyx, we also tried 4%, 2% and 1% solutions, prepared by adjusting the amount of DMSO. We used 15 white rabbits with liver tumors created by percutaneous injection of VX2 tumor cells. In 4 groups with 3 rabbits in each, the liver arteries were embolized with 6%, 4%, 2% and 1% Onyx, respectively, and in 3 rabbits DMSO alone was injected. The injections were performed just proximal to the bifurcation of the proper hepatic artery, followed by celiac arteriography. Post mortem, the livers were examined by soft-tissue radiography, and liver-tissue section microscopy.


RESULTS
The maximum number of arterial branching points passed by embolic material in either the right or left hepatic arteries was 11, 15 and 16, for 6%, 4% and 2% Onyx, respectively, but was non-measurable for 1% Onyx. Minimum diameters of arteries reached by 6%, 4%, 2% and 1% Onyx in tumorous areas were 40 microm, 35 microm, 20 microm and 10 microm, respectively, and in non-tumorous areas 35 microm, 5 microm, 5 microm and 5 microm, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that Onyx may be feasible for treatment of hepatic tumors.
Komemushi
A
A
Department of Radiology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
Tanigawa
N
N
Okuda
Y
Y
Kojima
H
H
Fujii
H
H
Shomura
Y
Y
Sougawa
M
M
Sawada
S
S
D000818:Animals; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits
C450660:Onyx copolymer; D011145:Polyvinyls; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide