Preoperative angioinfarction of localized renal cell carcinoma using absolute ethanol

A total of 25 patients with renal cell carcinoma underwent angioinfarction of the tumor using absolute ethanol. An average of 15 ml. absolute ethanol was injected into the main renal artery through a balloon occlusion catheter. Complete cessation of renal arterial flow could be demonstrated in all cases. The post-embolization syndrome of pain, nausea, vomiting, hypertension and fever was minimal compared to other methods of renal artery occlusion. Of the patients 21 underwent post-infarction transabdominal radical nephrectomy without intraoperative or postoperative complications attributable to the injection of absolute ethanol. No damage to extrarenal tissue was noted at operation. Subsequent surgical dissection was facilitated, particularly in cases of large tumors when control of the renal pedicle often is difficult. Median blood loss was 725 ml. In light of recent reports concerning the benefit of angioinfarction and nephrectomy in metastatic disease a similar approach may be applicable to localized disease. This pilot study shows the safety of preoperative angioinfarction with absolute ethanol and may be used as a reference for future randomized prospective studies comparing angioinfarction and nephrectomy to nephrectomy alone for localized renal cell carcinoma.