Early Outcomes of Prostate Artery Embolization using n-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Liquid Embolic: A Safety and Feasibility Study.

This retrospective study evaluates the feasibility, safety, and short-term efficacy of PAE using n-BCA glue embolization in 244 patients from June 2022 through May 2024. Technical success, defined as bilateral glue embolization, was achieved in 95% of cases. The median fluoroscopy time was 22.2 (IQR: 17.1 - 30.0) minutes, and the median radiation dose was 753 (IQR: 417 - 1559) mGy. Compared to baseline, statistically significant improvements were observed at 7.1 weeks for the IPSS (9.5 ± 6.0 [SD] vs. 20.5 ± 6.7; P < 0.01), QoL (1.8 ± 1.5 [SD] vs. 4.0 ± 1.1; P < 0.01), Qmax (10.4 ± 6.3 [SD] mL/s vs. 6.1 ± 2.5 mL/s; P < 0.01), and PGV at 6 months (113.3 ± 69.3 [SD] mL vs. 156.6 ± 104.6 mL; P < 0.01). These results demonstrate the use of n-BCA for PAE as a technically feasible and safe option with excellent short-term outcomes.

Radioembolization plus Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy Compared with Radioembolization plus Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate if combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and yttrium-90 (90Y) radioembolization results in superior outcomes than those yielded by tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and 90Y for the treatment of intermediate- to advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A retrospective review of patients presented at an institutional multidisciplinary liver tumor board between January 1, 2012 and August 1, 2023 was conducted. In total, 44 patients with HCC who underwent 90Y 4 weeks within initiation of ICI or TKI therapy were included. Propensity score matching was conducted to account for baseline demographic differences. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and univariate statistics identified disease response and control rate differences. Duration of imaging response was defined as number of months between the first scan after therapy and the first scan showing progression as defined by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) or immune Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST). Adverse events were analyzed per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. RESULTS: Patients in the 90Y+ICI therapy group had better objective response rates (ORRs) (89.5% vs 36.8%; P < .001) and disease control rates (DCRs) (94.7% vs 63.2%; P < .001) by mRECIST and iRECIST (ORR: 78.9% vs 36.8%; P < .001; DCR: 94.7% vs 63.2%; P < .001). Median PFS (8.3 vs 4.1 months; P = .37) and OS (15.8 vs 14.3 months; P = .52) were not statistically different. Twelve patients (63.1%) in the 90Y+TKI group did not complete systemic therapy owing to adverse effects compared with 1 patient (5.3%) in the 90Y+ICI group (P < .001). Grade 3/4 adverse events were not statistically different (90Y+TKI: 21.1%; 90Y+ICI: 5.3%; P = .150). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HCC who received 90Y+ICI had better imaging response and fewer regimen-altering adverse events than those who received 90Y+TKI. No significant combination therapy adverse events were attributable to radioembolization.

Fertility after Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Obstetric Hemorrhage: An Urban Health Care System Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate pregnancy rate, pregnancy outcomes, and resumption of menses after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for obstetric hemorrhage (OH). STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-seven patients who underwent TAE for OH from 2006 to 2020 within an urban, multihospital health care system were identified retrospectively. Selected patients were interviewed by phone to complete a survey with a primary outcome of self-reported pregnancy in those seeking pregnancy. Secondary outcomes included pregnancy outcomes and resumption of menses. Univariate testing of association of pregnancy and miscarriage rate with embolic agent was performed using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Thirty-three of 50 patients (66%) meeting the inclusion criteria completed the survey on fertility, a median of 47 (range, 13-123) months after TAE for OH. Of the 13 patients who attempted pregnancy, there was a pregnancy rate of 77% and miscarriage rate of 38%. Those who delivered live newborns conceived spontaneously, carried to term, and delivered a healthy newborn via cesarean section at a weight appropriate for gestational age. Thirty (91%) patients resumed menstruation, and the majority with unchanged frequency. Most patients underwent bilateral uterine artery embolization with radial artery access (54%). The most common embolic agents used were gelfoam only (30%) and glue only (24%). There was no statistically significant association between embolic agent and pregnancy or miscarriage rate. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous pregnancy with live birth and resumption of menses can occur in a majority of patients after TAE for OH. KEY POINTS: · Most patients who attempted pregnancy after TAE for OH achieved pregnancy.. · Most patients who became pregnant conceived spontaneously and delivered healthy newborns at term.. · Most patients resumed menstruation after TAE for OH.. · There was no significant association between type of embolic and pregnancy or miscarriage rate..

Leveraging the virtual learning environment to enhance medical student engagement with interventional radiology.

PURPOSE: To evaluate medical student engagement with Interventional Radiology (IR) before and after a virtual elective course. METHODS: The elective was nine, one-hour lectures over ten weeks. An anonymous pre and post-course survey was administered to students. The hypothesis was that this course would increase student engagement with IR. Respondents answered nine questions to score their interest in, exposure to, familiarity with, and understanding of IR using a five-point Likert scale. Demographics were reported for the pre-course group only. A Wilcoxon signed-ranked test was performed to assess for significant mean change in pre and post-course responses. Among the 276 registered students, there were 144 individual, complete responses for the pre-course survey, and 60 paired responses for both surveys. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of respondents were first or second year medical students. Thirty percent of participants were enrolled at an institution outside of the United States, 26% are the first in their family to attend college, and 41% identified as female. Thirty-six percent reported this virtual course was one of their earliest experiences with IR. There was a significant increase in student exposure to IR generally, familiarity with IR compared to other specialties, familiarity with the IR training pathway(s), understanding of what an Interventional Radiologist does, understanding of the difference between IR and Diagnostic Radiology, and understanding of when to consult IR for patient care after completion of the course. CONCLUSION: A virtual IR elective is an effective means to increase exposure to, familiarity with, and understanding of IR.

Comparison of 24-Month Clinical Outcomes after Prostatic Artery Embolization in Prostate Glands Larger versus Smaller than 80 mL: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: This review was undertaken to compare the clinical outcomes of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) in patients with >80 versus <80 mL prostatic volume (PV) at the 24-month follow-up to determine whether PV predicted the effectiveness or durability of PAE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PubMed/MEDLINE database was searched for articles published between 2010 and 2022 using the search term "(prostat∗ artery embolization) AND (long term OR follow-up OR 24-month)." Articles were included if they discussed PAE for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and reported a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Articles with <10 patients were excluded. A subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate for any difference in clinical outcomes at the 24-month post-PAE follow-up between studies with a mean PV of >80 mL and those with a mean PV of <80 mL. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies with 2,260 patients were included, all of which demonstrated significant reduction in symptoms at the 24-month follow-up after PAE. Four studies were included as part of the >80-mL PV subgroup (n = 467), and 10 studies were included as part of the <80-mL PV subgroup (n = 1,793). There was a statistically significant difference between the mean preprocedural PV (128.5 vs 64.0 mL; P = .015). At the 24-month follow-up, there were no significant differences between groups across any of the compared parameters. The collective incidence of major adverse events reported in the studies within this review was <1%. CONCLUSIONS: PAE is both safe and durable for patients suffering from BPH and can be effective across a wide range of baseline PVs.

Utilization and Comparative Effectiveness of Uterine Artery Embolization versus Hysterectomy for Severe Postpartum Hemorrhage: A National Inpatient Sample Study.

PURPOSE: To identify differences in mortality or length of hospital stay for mothers treated with uterine artery embolization (UAE) or hysterectomy for severe postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), as well as to analyze whether geographic or clinical determinants affected the type of therapy received. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This National Inpatient Sample study from 2005 to 2017 included all patients with live-birth deliveries. Severe PPH was defined as PPH that required transfusion, hysterectomy, or UAE. Propensity score weighting-adjusted demographic, maternal, and delivery risk factors were used to assess mortality and prolonged hospital stay. RESULTS: Of 9.8 million identified live births, PPH occurred in 31.0 per 1,000 cases. The most common intervention for PPH was transfusion (116.4 per 1,000 cases of PPH). Hysterectomy was used more frequently than UAE (20.4 vs 12.9 per 1,000 cases). The following factors predicted that hysterectomy would be used more commonly than UAE: previous cesarean delivery, breech fetal position, placenta previa, transient hypertension during pregnancy without pre-eclampsia, pre-existing hypertension without pre-eclampsia, pre-existing hypertension with pre-eclampsia, unspecified maternal hypertension, and gestational diabetes (all P < .001). Delivery risk factors associated with greater utilization of hysterectomy over UAE included postterm pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, cervical laceration, forceps vaginal delivery, and shock (all P < .001). There was no difference in mortality between hysterectomy and UAE. After balancing demographic, maternal, and delivery risk factors, the odds of prolonged hospital stay were 0.38 times lower with UAE than hysterectomy (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar mortality and shorter hospital stays, UAE is used far less than hysterectomy in the management of severe PPH.

Uterine Artery Embolization for Secondary Postpartum Hemorrhage.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) affects approximately 14 million women yearly, accounts for 25% of delivery-related deaths in the world and is the main cause of emergency peripartum hysterectomy. Traditionally, PPH is defined as at least 500 mL of blood loss after vaginal delivery or 1000 mL of blood loss after cesarean-section. However, several authors have suggested a simpler definition to include women who experience hemodynamic instability after birth regardless of amount of blood loss. Secondary PPH is defined as bleeding that occurs after 24 hours to 12 weeks from delivery, and can fail medical management. It is imperative that the clinical team recognize the signs and symptoms of secondary PPH and, if necessary, consult the interventional radiology service for a minimally invasive option of uterine artery embolization, which has shown up to 95% success rate.

Anatomical and Technical Considerations for Bariatric Embolization.

Obesity is a well-known major public health concern associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Bariatric arterial embolization (BAE) is a minimally invasive, image-guided therapy that targets hormones linked to obesity by defunctionalizing specific portions of the stomach with the delivery of embolics. The goal of BAE is to induce weight loss through a reduction of appetite-mediating hormones with transarterial embolization of the gastric fundus. This article will review the anatomical and technical considerations for successful BAE.