Evaluation of the Role of Cisplatin-conjugated-soluble Gelatin Sponge: Feasibility Study in a Swine Model

Purpose To evaluate the safety and the delivery function of cisplatin-conjugated-soluble gelatin sponge in a swine model. Methods Fifteen healthy young swine were assigned into three groups: transarterial cisplatin infusion group, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with cisplatin-conjugated 120-min soluble gelatin sponge (TACE-120) group, and TACE with cisplatin-conjugated 360-min soluble gelatin sponge (TACE-360) group. A total volume of 0.8 mL/kg cisplatin in each group and 8 mg/kg soluble gelatin sponge in TACE-120 and TACE-360 groups were injected from the left hepatic artery in small increments for 10 min. Common hepatic angiography and whole-blood sampling via the left hepatic vein were conducted to explore recanalization immediately after the procedure and again at 10, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, and 420 min later. The area under the plasma concentration curve (AUC) of non-protein-bound platinum was compared among the three groups. Each liver was removed and cut into 10-cm-thick sections for calculating liver-damaged volume ratio. Results Sequential angiography depicted gradual recanalization of the occluded hepatic artery and total recanalization at 120 and 360 min after embolization in the TACE-120 and TACE-360 groups, respectively. Of the three groups, AUC0–30, AUC30–120, and AUC120–420 were significantly highest in the transarterial cisplatin infusion group (p \ 0.001), the TACE-120 group (p \ 0.001), and the TACE-360 group (p \ 0.001), respectively. The liverdamaged volume ratio in the TACE-360 group was small (8.20 %) but significantly higher than that in the TACE-120 group (2.67 %, p = 0.014). Conclusion Cisplatin-conjugated soluble gelatin sponge functions as a cisplatin carrier and is associated with tolerable liver damage.