[Ethanol for hepatic arterial embolization (experimental study)]

In this experiment, 27 dogs underwent hepatic arterial embolization (HAE) with 99% ethanol in 10 (group A), 75% ethanol in 10 (group B) and 60% ethanol in 7 (group C). By the laparotomy, catheter was inserted into hepatic artery and ethanol at dose of 0.3 ml/kg was injected within 20 seconds. Arterial angiography was taken before and after HAE. The dogs were sacrificed in 1, 2, 4, 8 weeks. Liver specimens were examined grossly and microscopically. Both A and B group showed satisfactory results of embolization, but 99% ethanol caused severe damage to hepatocytes, perisinusoidal area and bile ducts. Eight of 10 dogs died of hepatic failure and infection within two weeks. 75% ethanol mainly occluded the smaller arterial branches. Hepatocellular and biliary tract lesions were slight and reversible. All the animals survived normally except two. Group C had some mild and limited liver damage and scattering thrombosis which might result from intima lesion. This article also discusses the clinical availability of ethanol HAE.