Efficacy of the left gastric artery as a route for catheterization of the right gastric artery.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of the left gastric artery as a route for embolization of the right gastric artery before port-catheter implantation for hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy.


METHODS
In 88 patients (61 men and 27 women; mean age, 63.4 years; range, 25-83 years) with unresectable advanced liver cancer, retrograde catheterization of the right gastric artery through the left gastric artery was performed to embolize the right gastric artery.


RESULTS
The right gastric artery was successfully catheterized and embolized in 79 patients (89.8%). In two of the nine patients in whom the procedure was not successful, we found that no right gastric artery existed after we succeeded in retrograde advancement of the microcatheter toward the hepatic site. The only procedure-related complication was misplacement of a microcoil into the hepatic artery site in two patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The left gastric artery is an appropriate route for selective embolization of the right gastric artery as preparation for long-term hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy.
Yamagami
Takuji
T
Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-chyo, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. yamagami@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Kato
Takeharu
T
Iida
Shigeharu
S
Hirota
Tatsuya
T
Nishimura
Tsunehiko
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial / Q000009:adverse effects; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents