The fully implantable minimally invasive hepatic artery catheter for locoregional chemotherapy of nonresectable liver metastases in defective conventional implanted therapy catheters

: Dysfunction of arterial access devices used in association with intra-arterial chemotherapy for the treatment of unresectable liver metastases usually requires stopping the therapy or relaporotomy and reimplantation of a new arterial catheter. In this article our initial experience of a new technique, the so-called MIAH catheter (minimally invasive hepatic artery catheter) in 36 patients (age 37-78 years) are reported. The MIAH catheter was percutaneously inserted into the subclavian artery under sonographic guidance and advanced via the descending aorta selectively into the hepatic artery. Finally it was connected to a totally implantable pump. There were no deaths related to the operation. Operative or early complications occurred in 5 cases (13.8%); late complications were seen in 13 patients (36.1%). Nevertheless continuation of intra arterial chemotherapy was possible in all cases. In cases of dysfunction of conventional arterial access devices the MIAH catheter makes it possible to continue intra-arterial chemotherapy without requiring laporotomy.