Heparinized catheters for long-term intraarterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil in liver metastases.

A heparinized catheter was used for the regional infusion of 5-fluorouracil in seven patients with liver metastases. The hepatic artery was catheterized from the left brachial artery. The period of treatment varied from one to 13 weeks. Pull-out angiograms, obtained after eight catheterizations, revealed complete occlusion of the brachial artery in five and partial occlusion in three, although no patient had ischemic symptoms in the hand. Thus, heparinization of the catheter did not prevent thrombosis during long-term infusion therapy.