Percutaneous transfemoral hepatic arterial infusion catheter placement with the use of a downsized coaxial catheter system: technical feasibility study

In transfemoral implantation of a conventional port-catheter system for hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, there is a risk of pericatheter bleeding as a result of a caliber difference between the indwelling catheter and introducer sheath. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a single-operator catheter exchange maneuver with a downsized system that includes a 3-F sheath.

Sixteen patients (15 men; mean age, 67 years) with unresectable liver cancer underwent percutaneous port-catheter placement. A system consisting of a 2-F microcatheter, 3.3-F diagnostic catheter, and 3-F sheath was used to perform mapping diagnostic visceral arteriography and microcoil embolization for redistribution of flow. Catheter exchange with a 5-F indwelling catheter (W-Spiral catheter) was performed, and the tip of a W-Spiral catheter was inserted into the right gastroepiploic artery. The technical success of this single-operator catheter exchange, postprocedural complications, and performance of one-step or multistep catheter exchange procedures were evaluated.

Percutaneous port-catheter placement by a single operator with use of a downsized system was successful and safe in all patients (100%). Eight of 16 patients (50%) required multistep catheter exchange or dilation with two different guide wires because of arteriosclerosis, whereas the other eight underwent catheter exchange with a single guide wire.

Percutaneous port-catheter placement with use of a downsized system offers potential clinical advantages of safety and simplified catheter exchange.