Percutaneous angiographic embolization for hepatic arterial hemorrhage

Eight cases of hepatic arterial bleeding are reported. Bleeding in five instances was consequent to trauma and was either persistent postoperative (three cases) or delayed with hemobilia (two cases). Bleeding in the other three cases was from rupture of a subcapsular hematoma of the liver, with spontaneous hepatic rupture of pregnancy (two cases) and metastatic melanoma (one case). Angiography demonstrated pseudoaneurysm in six cases, a hepatic artery to portal venous fistula in one case, and a subcapsular hematoma in the final case. Percutaneous angiographic embolization controlled bleeding in seven cases and was not feasible in one case with tortuosity of the celiac axis. Complications included hepatobiliary necrosis in one patient and subphrenic abscess in two patients. Percutaneous angiographic embolization can selectively occlude a branch of the hepatic artery and is effective in the control of hepatic arterial bleeding from a variety of causes.