Solid Tumor Embolotherapy in Hepatic Arteries with an Anti-reflux Catheter System.
Unresectable hepatoma accounts for the majority of malignant liver tumor cases for which embolization therapy is considered a viable treatment option. However, the potential risk of aberrant particle deposition in non-target regions could cause severe side-effects, alongside diminished efficacy. A computational model has been developed to analyze the particle-hemodynamics before and after deployment of an FDA-approved anti-reflux catheter. The catheter features a retractable, porous cone-like tip designed to allow forward blood flow while preventing microsphere reflux. A patient-specific hepatic artery system, with different daughter branches connected to a liver tumor, was chosen as a representative test bed. In vitro as well as in vivo measurements were used to validate the computer simulation model. The model captures the effect of tip-deployment on blood perfusion and pressure drop in an interactive manner under physiologically realistic conditions. A relationship between the pressure drop and embolization level was established, which can be used to provide clinicians with real-time information on the best infusion-stop point. However, the results show that the present procedure for embolization of downstream vessels which feed a tumor is quite arbitrary. Nevertheless, a method to recycle aberrant particles captured by the deployed tip was proposed to minimize side-effects.
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7910, USA.
Zelin
Z
Xu
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7910, USA.
Shaphan
S
Jernigan
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7910, USA. ck@eos.ncsu.edu.|Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7910, USA. ck@eos.ncsu.edu.
Clement
C
Kleinstreuer
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7910, USA.|Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7910, USA.
Gregory D
GD
Buckner
D001794:Blood Pressure; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000628:therapy*; D057785:Catheters; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008863:Microspheres; D008954:Models, Biological
Embolization; Excessive particle capture; Infusion-stop point; Liver cancer; Particle-reflux; Transient particle-hemodynamics