title: Rare pulmonary complications after transarterial chemoembolisation for hepatocellular carcinoma: two case reports.
abstract: We report two rare cases of acute pulmonary complication after transarterial chemoembolisation for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. Both cases involved a large tumour and hepatic vein invasion. The first patient, a 27-year-old man, died of pulmonary tumour embolism 4 days after transarterial chemoembolisation. Acute dyspnoea developed in the second patient, a 63-year-old man, following the procedure due to pulmonary oil embolisation and chemical pneumonitis. The chest condition of this patient improved, but he subsequently died of liver failure 3 weeks later. Our cases illustrate the point that if locoregional treatment is offered as a palliative treatment, patients with hepatic vein invasion should be warned of the possible complications of massive tumour embolism, pulmonary oil embolisation, and subsequent death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Imaging, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 30 Gascoigne Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong. pchkwok@ha.org.hk
authors.forename: P C H
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: A K H
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: S C H
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007459:Iodized Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D007459:Iodized Oil