[Therapeutic embolisation of visceral arteries. Animal experiments, early clinical experience, introduction of a new embolising material (author's transl)].

Silicone elastomer was found to be suitable embolsing material in animal experiments and has been used in 16 patients. It produces permanent vascular occlusion, is easy to use, well tolerated and can be steam sterilised. The disadvantage of the method is the time taken to prepare it in the laboratory. Embolisation of tumours was successful in all cases; angiography nine months later showed that the vessels had remained occluded and that the tumours had ceased to grow or become smaller. The development of collateral vessels shows that this is only a palliative procedure and that surgery remains the main form of treatment. In ten of the 16 patients, the course of the disease was influenced beneficially.