[Intraarterial cytostatic therapy of head and neck: operative and cytostatic complications and side effects (author's transl)].

In the past 30 months 51 patients with squamous cell carcinomas in head and neck were treated by intraarterial application of cytostatic drugs. A catheter was placed in the external carotid artery below of the vessel supplying the tumor. For placement of the catheter the temporal and the superior thyroid artery were used. The right position of the catheter tip is important for achieving a high concentration of the cytostatic drugs in the tumor region. The wrong positioning of the catheter tip in the carotid bifurcation leads to perfusion or embolization in the internal carotid system. In one case we noted a persistent hemiplegia in three other cases temporary hemiplegia, due to perfusion of the brain with highly concentrated cytostatics. Postoperative bleeding of the arterial stump was noted in 3 cases. Local side effects of the cytostatics were mucositis, loss of hair and hyperpigmentation. The systemic side effects correlated with those after intravenous injection.