Percutaneous arterial embolization and chemoembolization for treatment of benign and malignant tumors in three dogs and a goat.

The term bland arterial embolization refers to catheter-directed delivery of particulate material for the purpose of embolizing selected arteries. This technique is used in humans to treat a number of conditions, including arteriovenous malformations, uterine fibroids, and epistaxis. The term chemoembolization refers to selective intra-arterial delivery of chemotherapeutic agents in conjunction with particulate material for the purpose of embolizing arteries supplying blood to a tumor. Compared with traditional modes of drug delivery, chemoembolization increases local concentration and dwell time of the chemotherapeutic agent, augments tumor ischemia, and minimizes systemic toxic effects. In humans, the technique has shown encouraging results in the treatment of a variety of nonresectable tumors. The present report describes techniques for percutaneous bland arterial embolization and chemoembolization in dogs and goats and results of these techniques in 3 dogs and a goat. Bland arterial embolization was performed in 2 dogs and the goat. The goals of treatment included pain palliation, reduction of tumor growth, and control of hemorrhage, and each animal was considered to have benefited from the procedure on the basis of the preprocedural goals. Chemoembolization was performed in 1 dog for treatment of a nonresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Unfortunately, this dog did not live long enough to identify any response to treatment. Results for animals studied illustrate the feasibility of bland arterial embolization and chemoembolization in veterinary patients and suggest that embolization may provide an alternative method of treatment for animals with inoperable lesions.