title: Portal vein embolization using absolute ethanol: evaluation of its safety and efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previously, we reported on the clinical efficacy and safety of portal vein embolization (PVE) with fibrin glue. Our embolic materials for PVE changed from fibrin glue to absolute ethanol (EOH) after 2001 due to prohibition of using fibrin glue for PVE. With introducing our technique of PVE with EOH, we evaluated its safety and efficacy with attention to the amount of EOH.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 154 patients who underwent PVE using EOH were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Changes with time in both the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) after PVE returned to the initial condition within 7 days after PVE. In the 96 patients who underwent CT volumerty 14 to 21 days after PVE, the volume of the embolized lobe decreased from 701 ± 165 cm(3) to 549 ± 148 cm(3) (P < 0.0001). Meanwhile, the volume of the non-embolized lobe increased from 388 ± 105 cm(3) to 481 ± 113 cm(3) (P < 0.0001). On simple linear regression, the amount of EOH was positively correlated with both the maximum of AST and that of ALT after PVE; however, it never correlated with changes in liver volume after PVE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Portal vein embolization with EOH has a substantial effect on both hypertrophy of the non-embolized lobe and atrophy of the embolized lobe. Quick recoveries of changes with time in AST and ALT after PVE proved that PVE with EOH is a safe procedure. The amount of EOH affected the extent of liver damage but had no clinical effects on changes in liver volume after PVE.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igami
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ebata
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D011169:Portal Vein; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Absolute ethanol; Percutaneous transhepatic portal vein embolization; Portal vein embolization