Changes in portal pressure and hepatic blood flow after dearterialization of tumour-bearing livers in man.

Eighteen patients with nonresectable liver cancer were treated by dearterialization of the liver. The changes in portal vein pressure and hepatic blood flow were determined prior to the immediately after dearterialization. Portal pressure decreased by 20% in the complete and 11% in the incomplete dearterialization groups. The degree of portal pressure reduction did not differ between the patient with and without associated cirrhosis of the liver. Retention and disappearance rates of indocyanine green were improved in five, unchanged in six and deteriorated in seven patients by dearterialization. The beneficial effects on hepatic haemodynamics seen in this study were probably produced by interrupting deleterious intrahepatic arteriovenous shuntings in or around the tumors.