Continuous arterial infusion strategies using implanted ports

Surgically implanted ports have been used in continuous or repetitive intra-arterial (IA) chemotherapeutic infusions for patients with multiple liver metastases from colorectal cancer. Recently, a percutaneous implantation procedure was developed, facilitating safe and less invasive IA infusions in the treatment of various disease conditions. This article focuses on the interventional techniques for percutaneous implantation of a vascular access device, consisting of an indwelling catheter and an implantable port, to perform IA infusions. Additionally, we describe details of the alteration of blood flow by coil-embolization that can be performed to obtain selective drug distribution to the target area and to avoid side effects caused by the administration of the chemotherapeutic agent into nontarget areas.