Transcatheter arterial embolization for massive hemobilia with N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) Glubran 2.

BACKGROUND: Massive hemobilia is a life-threatening condition and therapeutic challenge. Few studies have demonstrated the use of N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for massive hemobilia. PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) using NBCA Glubran 2 for massive hemobilia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2019, the data of 26 patients (mean age 63.4 ± 12.6 years) with massive hemobilia were retrospectively evaluated for TAE using NBCA. The patients' baseline characteristics, severities of hemobilia, and imaging findings were collected. Emergent TAE was performed using 1:2-1:4 mixtures of NBCA and ethiodized oil. Technical success, clinical success, procedure-related complications, and follow-up outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Pre-procedure arteriography demonstrated injuries to the right hepatic artery (n = 24) and cystic artery (n = 2). Initial coil embolization distal to the lesions was required in 5 (19.2%) patients to control high blood flow and prevent end-organ damage. After a mean treatment time of 11.2 ± 5.3 min, technical success was achieved in 100% of the patients without non-target embolization and catheter adhesion. Clinical success was achieved in 25 (96.2%) patients. Major complications were noted in 1 (3.8%) patient with gallbladder necrosis. During a median follow-up time of 16.5 months (range 3-24 months), two patients died due to carcinomas, whereas none of the patients experienced recurrent hemobilia, embolic material migration, or post-embolization complications. CONCLUSION: NBCA embolization for massive hemobilia is associated with rapid and effective hemostasis, as well as few major complications. This treatment modality may be a promising alternative to coil embolization.

Hemobilia as a late complication after blunt abdominal trauma: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding within the biliary tree, called hemobilia, is a rare complication after blunt hepatic trauma. OBJECTIVES: To report on a patient who developed hemobilia 1 month after a blunt abdominal injury and to discuss the diagnosis and treatment of hemobilia. CASE REPORT: A 17-year-old boy presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by hemobilia 1 month after a blunt liver injury. Angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery, which was successfully treated with embolization. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of hemobilia first requires consideration of the diagnosis, particularly in patients with previous abdominal trauma. Hemobilia should be included in the differential diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Investigations of choice include computed tomography scan followed by angiography. During angiography, treatment can be done by endovascular embolization.

Preoperative percutaneous portal vein embolization: evaluation of adverse events in 188 patients.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively assess the frequency of adverse events related to percutaneous preoperative portal vein embolization (PPVE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board did not require its approval or patient informed consent for this study. The adverse events that occurred during PPVE or until planned hepatic surgery was performed or cancelled were retrospectively obtained from clinical, imaging, and laboratory data files in 188 patients (109 male and 79 female patients; mean age, 60 years; range, 16-78 years). Liver resection was planned for metastases (n = 137), hepatocarcinoma (n = 31), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 15), fibrolamellar hepatoma (n = 1), and benign disease (n = 4). PPVE was performed with a single-lumen 5-F catheter and a contralateral approach with n-butyl cyanoacrylate mixed with iodized oil as the main embolic agent. The rate of complications in patients with cirrhosis was compared with that in patients without cirrhosis by using the chi(2) test. RESULTS: Adverse events occurred in 24 (12.8%) of 188 patients, including 12 complications and 12 incidental imaging findings. Complications included thrombosis of the portal vein feeding the future remnant liver (n = 1); migration of emboli in the portal vein feeding the future remnant liver, which necessitated angioplasty (n = 2); hemoperitoneum (n = 1); rupture of a metastasis in the gallbladder (n = 1); transitory hemobilia (n = 1); and transient liver failure (n = 6). Incidental findings were migration of small emboli in nontargeted portal branches (n = 10) and subcapsular hematoma (n = 2). Among the 187 patients in whom PPVE was technically successful, there was a significant difference (P < .001) between the occurrence of liver failure after PPVE in patients with cirrhosis (five of 30) and those without (one of 157). Sixteen liver resections were cancelled due to cancer progression (n = 12), insufficient hypertrophy of the nonembolized liver (n = 3), and complete portal thrombosis (n = 1). CONCLUSION: PPVE is a safe adjuvant technique for hypertrophy of the initially insufficient liver reserve. Post-PPVE transient liver failure is more common in patients with cirrhosis than in those without cirrhosis.

Hemobilia, intrahepatic hematoma and acute thrombosis with cavernomatous transformation of the portal vein after percutaneous thermoablation of a liver metastasis.

A 53-year-old-man underwent US-guided percutaneous thermal ablation with a cooled-tip needle of three liver metastases from gastric cancer. Six days later, the patient was re-admitted for melena, scleral jaundice, and anemia. Abdominal US disclosed echogenic material in the gallbladder lumen (hemobilia) and a focal lesion with mixed echotexture in segment III (hepatic hematoma). On day 5 portal cavernomatosis was diagnosed at US and confirmed by color Doppler and a helical CT exam. The case described emphasizes that radio-frequency interstitial hyperthermia may cause not only traumatic injury of the liver parenchyma but also thermally mediated damage of vascular structures.