Endovascular Management of Extrahepatic Artery Hemorrhage After Pancreatobiliary Surgery: Clinical Features and Outcomes of Transcatheter Arterial Embolization and Stent-Graft Placement

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to analyze the technical and clinical outcomes of endovascular treatment of patients with extrahepatic artery hemorrhage after pancreatobiliary surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS. From January 2000 to September 2009, 27 patients who had undergone pancreaticobiliary surgery had an extrahepatic artery hemorrhage with or without a pseudoaneurysm were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients underwent diagnostic angiography and endovascular treatment—either transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) (n = 20) or stent-graft placement (n = 7). RESULTS. Bleeding sites were located in the gastroduodenal artery stump (n = 14), proper hepatic artery (n = 10), and common hepatic artery (n = 3). In the TAE group, the initial technical and clinical success rates were 100% and 90%, respectively. Two patients died of hepatic failure and multiorgan failure within 7 days after TAE. Hepatic ischemia and infarction were observed in six (33.3%, 6/18) and eight (44.4%, 8/18) patients, respectively. Hepatic abscess was observed in one patient (5.6%, 1/18) with hepatic infarction. The development of hepatic infarction was significantly associated with a serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level of more than 700 IU/L and a serum alanine transferase (ALT) level of more than 500 IU/L (p = 0.031 for both, Fisher exact test). In the stent-graft group, the initial technical and clinical success rates were 100% for both. Early stent thrombosis with bile duct necrosis was observed in one patient (14.3%). During the mean follow-up period of 22.8 months (range, 8–43 months), the intrahepatic arteries were patent on follow-up CT. CONCLUSION. The endovascular treatments of TAE and stent-graft placement can be performed safely in most patients and are effective treatment options for extrahepatic artery hemorrhage after pancreatobiliary surgery. Moreover, stent-graft placement is better than TAE for preserving intrahepatic arterial flow without rebleeding from the extrahepatic artery.