Effect of drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization loaded with cisplatin on normal dogs.

Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) are standard treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and particularly for unresectable tumors or liver metastases in humans. However, reports on TACE used in veterinary medicine are few. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE). We performed DEB-TACE in four clinically normal dogs and pharmacokinetically compared the results against hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) of cisplatin in two dogs. Drug-eluting beads (DEB) loaded with cisplatin were injected through a microcatheter for selective embolization of the left hepatic artery. After embolization, computed tomography (CT) images and histological examination findings were obtained during a 4-week observation period. Serum platinum concentrations were measured to evaluate cisplatin after each procedure. Biochemical analysis was performed during a 12-week observation period. Embolization was successful in all dogs, and there were no clinically apparent abnormalities. Embolization was confirmed up to 4 weeks after DEB-TACE in two of the four dogs and up to 1 week in the other two dogs using postoperative CT images. Cisplatin was not detected in peripheral veins in all dogs after DEB-TACE, but it was detected in trace amounts after HAI. DEB-TACE using cisplatin was safe and well tolerated by normal dogs. DEB-TACE may be useful in terms of determining systemic toxicity and drug concentration within tumors.

Effect of transcatheter arterial embolisation in normal canine liver using trisacryl gelatine microspheres (Embosphere).

The effect of selective transcatheter arterial embolisation (TAE) using trisacryl gelatine microspheres (TGMs) in the normal canine liver was investigated. Selective embolisation was achieved by injecting TGMs into the left hepatic artery through a microcatheter in four healthy dogs. After embolisation, computed tomography (CT), biochemical analysis and histological examination were performed during a 12-week observation period. Embolisation was successful in all four dogs. Postoperative CT revealed consistent embolisation of the artery within the experimental period in three dogs. Hepatic enzyme levels slightly increased after embolisation but tapered to normal ranges. Histological examinations revealed no abnormal changes. Thus, selective TAE with TGMs was well tolerated in normal dogs and may be applicable to canine hepatocellular carcinoma.