Application of side-hole catheter technique for transradial arterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of side-hole catheter technique for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) via transradial artery access (TRA) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: From November 2015 to August 2017, a total of 1040 TACE procedures were performed via TRA for hepatocellular carcinoma. In 10 (1%) of these 1040 TACE procedures via TRA, conventional microcatheter technique (CMT) failed and side-hole catheter technique was attempted.

Results: Ten procedures of selective catheterizations by CMT failed due to the poor stability of the angiographic catheters or the target artery arising from the very proximal portion of the parent artery. These arteries included the right inferior phrenic artery in eight patients, one left gastric artery, and one right renal capsular artery. Cobra or MPA catheter with the microcatheter through the side-hole yielded a technical success rate of 100%. No procedure-related complications were observed. The mean time required to catheterize the target artery with the side-hole catheter was 9.5 min (5-15 min).

Conclusion: Side-hole catheter technique may enable the completion of chemoembolization in cases that a potential tumor-feeding vessel cannot be catheterized by means of CMT for TACE via TRA.