[Factors of gastric lesions following after transcatheter arterial embolization for primary hepatoma].

To clarify the influence of Transcatheter Arterial Embolization (TAE) on the stomach, endoscopic examination was carried out before and after TAE. Forty-six TAE were performed in 27 patients with primary hepatoma. New gastric lesions, erosions and ulcers, were developed in 25 of 46 TAE. There was no significant relationship between the incidence of the lesions in the cases with esophageal varices (15/24) and the cases without (10/22) and there was no significant relationship between the incidence of the lesions after the first TAE (12/22) and after the second TAE (5/14). Period between the first and the second TAE had no statistical influence on the lesions after the second TAE. Hepatic functions (Child's classification; Rmax, K, R15 of ICG; serum total protein; serum albumin; total bilirubin; prothrombin time; hepaplastin test) before TAE were not statistically related to the appearance of the gastric lesions following TAE (Table 1). On the other hand, the cases which showed apparent effects of TAE including 0.2 time decrease of AFP had the more gastric lesions (P less than 0.05) (Table 2). The cases with upper abdominal pain after TAE had more gastric lesions (24/38) than the cases without (2/8) (P less than 0.05). But the cases undergone TAE with high possibility of the influx of gelatin sponge pieces, lipiodol or anticancer agents into the supplying vessels for the stomach did not exhibit significant incidence of the lesions (Table 3). Thus, when TAE is followed by a 0.2 time decrease in AFP, it is necessary to pay more attention to the gastric lesions. The prophylactic administration of H2 antagonist before or just after TAE did not seem useful to prevent the gastric lesions. These findings suggest that the influx of gelatin sponge pieces, lipiodol or anticancer agents to the stomach does not always cause gastric ulcer or erosion.