[A study of complications of hepatic arterial infusion catheter].

We studied complications of the infusion catheter, which were implanted in the hepatic artery under laparotomy, and then connected with an implantable infuser port in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 32) and metastatic liver tumor (n = 11). Infuse-A-Port catheter was used for 31 cases (A group), and Anthron P-U catheter for 12 cases (B group). In B group, the cannulation method was changed; the catheter was placed in the hepatic artery via the gastroduodenal artery, which was ligated and cut to prevent kinks in the catheter. In the A group, 17 cases (54.8%) showed complications such as dislocation of the catheter tip (7 cases) including penetrating duodenal ulcer (2 cases), arterial occlusion (6 cases), injury of catheter (2 cases) and occlusion of the infuser port (2 cases). One case, however, having a fistula between the hepatic artery and the duodenum, died of sudden massive bleeding. In the B group, 3 cases (25.0%) showed complications such as dislocation of the catheter tip (1 case) and arterial occlusion (2 cases). The catheter in B group lasted longer than that in A group. Thus, our cannulation technique using Anthron P-U catheter may decrease the catheter complications.