Purpose: To compare the complication rates associated with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using two different catheter tip locations, the right/left hepatic artery (group 1) and the gastroduodenal artery (group 2).
Methods: Between April 2001 and March 2015, 88 patients (group 1, n = 36; group 2, n = 52) with unresectable HCC, underwent HAIC via a transfemorally placed infusion catheter. The incidence of complications related to catheter placement (including hepatic arterial occlusion, catheter dislocation, non-target embolization and port-catheter system infection) as well as catheter patency and patient survival were evaluated.
Results: The technical success rate was 100%. The overall complication rate was 17% (15/88 patients). The specific complications were as follows: hepatic artery occlusion, n = 1 (group 2, n = 1), gastroduodenal ulcer, n = 6 (group 1, n = 2; group 2, n = 4); catheter dislocation, n = 1 (group 2, n = 1); port-catheter system infection, n = 3 (group 2, n = 3); and bleeding at the puncture site, n = 4 (group 1, n = 1; group 2, n = 3).
Conclusions: The complication rates in groups 1 and 2 did not differ to a statistically significant extent.
Keywords: Complications; HAIC; HCC.