Pilot study of transcatheter arterial ethanol embolization under closed renal circuit for large renal cell carcinomas

The safety of a new technique, designated “transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with aspiration via a balloon-occluded renal drainage vein” (TAE-ABOD), for the management of large renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). The subjects were 25 patients with RCC who underwent a total of 27 sessions of TAE-ABOD. This TAE-ABOD technique incorporates two procedures: balloon occlusion of renal drainage vein and infusion of absolute ethanol into the tumor-feeding arteries during aspiration of blood via a balloon catheter, thereby reducing leakage of absolute ethanol into the systemic circulation. Our primary endpoint was to establish a safe regimen for high-dose ethanol injection therapy, and our secondary endpoint was to assess global survival of the patients. The administered dose of ethanol ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 ml/kg [median: 0.34 (SD: 0.10) ml/kg], increased in a stepwise manner. The systemic ethanol concentration was measurable in 14 patients, and was less than 0.1 mg/ml in 12 and from 0.1 to less than 0.2 mg/ml in two. There were no major complications such as renal failure or renal abscess. TAE-ABOD can safely deliver a high dose of absolute ethanol for the treatment of large RCCs.