Pure ethanol injection in the treatment of subcapsular hepatoma - is it safe?

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the safety of pure ethanol injection (PEI) in subcapsular hepatoma. Nine patients with 12 nodular type hepatomas were studied. PEI was performed with Chiba needle (22 gauge, 15 cm long) using mixed ethanol solution (99.8% ethanol: 2% xylocaine = 5 or 10:1). Four nodule were treated using traditional method. Eight nodules were treated using intravascular injection through tumor supplying vessel. The puncture number was one to three per session according to tumor size and estimate effect. The dose of ethanol in each section ranged from 2 ml to 20 ml. Only mild pain and fever were observed during the treatment couses and following period Rupture of tumor was found in a 5.3 nodule which treated using traditional method without liver bed. In conclusion PEI in treatment of subcapsular hepatoma is safe and effective if lesion was injected through overlying nontumoral liver bed, once in one session of treatment, or intravascularly.