Background/Aims
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been reported to be one of the useful palliative treatments in patients with unresectable hepatocelluar carcinoma. However, Bile duct injuries following TACE have been reported occasionally. In this study, we intended to clarify the incidence, pathogenic mechanisms and clinical implications of bile duct injuries following TACE. Methods: A total of 950 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were subjected. 807 patients were treated with TACE. The remaining 143 were treated with transarterial chemoinfusion (TACI) of cisplatin. Results: None of 143 HCC patients treated with TACI revealed to have any ischemic biliary injury radiologically. In contrast, out of 807 with TACE, 17 (2%) appeared to have biliary complications. Twelve out of 17 (71%) had bilomas at subcapsular area, three out of 17 (18%) had focal strictures at common hepatic duct or common bile duct with marked dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts and two out of 17 (11%) had diffuse mild dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts. Interestingly, two (17%) out of 12 bilomas were found at the lobe which was not embolized with Gelfoam. The median sessions of TACE to the occurrences of focal strictures tended to be longer compared with those of bilomas (median: 6 vs. 2.5; p=0.08). All three patients with focal strictures and four (33%) out of 12 patients with bilomas were associated with serious bacterial infections at presentation. Conclusions: Biloma seems to be caused by lipiodol rather than Gelfoam; focal strictures of large bile ducts by Gelfoam. It is suggested that adjustments of the amounts of lipiodol or Gelfoam and the sites or embolization may be required to reduce the ischemic biliary injuries following TACE. (Korean J Hepatol 1999;5:217－226)

There are many kinds of treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) such as surgical resection, liver transplantation, chemotherapy, interventional therapy [TACE, ethanol embolization, Immuno - chemoembolization, I131 - lipiodol embolization], thermal therapy, cryotherapy, and radiation therapy. Generally spontaneous remission is not common in HCC, however underlying mechanism of spontaneous remission is uncertain. We report a case of complete remission after one time TACE in ruptured HCC with review of literature about the effect of TACE and spontaneous remission. We conclude that arterial embolization is an effective alternative to surgery for hepatic hemostasis in patients with spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma. (Korean J Hepatol 1999;5:343－347)

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is widely used in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas. We report a case of mult iple liver abscess with bile duct necrosis following gallbladder infarction after TACE in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A 62- year old man, wit h four cm sized hepatocellular carcinoma in right lobe, was treat ed by TACE for six times during 18 months. Two days after the last TACE, acute cholecystitis occurred and antibiotics were used until the recovery of cholecystitis. After two months, abdominal CT scan revealed a gas containing liver abscess and percutaneous transhepatic drainage was performed. Cholangiography via drainage cathet er showed findings of bile duct necrosis. Ant ibiotics sensit ive to the causative organism were administered intravenously. However, the abscess persisted despite of treatment for three mont hs. (Korean J Hepatol 1999 ; 5 : 348－352)