Intraarterial infusion chemotherapy for head and neck cancer using a totally implantable infusion pump.

Intraarterial infusion chemotherapy has not been widely accepted for the treatment of head and neck cancer due to the high rate of complications it involves. To avoid these complications, a totally implantable infusion pump has been developed to achieve continuous low-level drug delivery for long periods of time. The pump is implanted in a subcutaneous pocket and connected to a permanent, indwelling, arterial catheter. It can be repeatedly refilled with chemotherapeutic agents by hypodermic needle injection through the skin and through a self-sealing septum located at the entry to the pump. Refilling the pump recharges an inexhaustible power source for the next delivery cycle. Preliminary results suggest that long term intraarterial infusion chemotherapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer is practical for outpatients.