Experimental comparison between hepatic artery infusion and occlusion-infusion of adriamycin.

Adult mongrel dogs were used to compare hepatic arterial infusion and arterial occlusion-infusion with regard to local and systemic Adriamycin levels. The drug was infused into the right proper hepatic artery of each dog after occlusion of the gastroduodenal artery. Blood and tissue samples were collected at regular intervals for Adriamycin determination. Four weeks later, each dog again received the same agent in the right proper hepatic artery, but this time arterial flow was blocked with an inflated balloon during drug infusion (arterial occlusion-infusion). Blood and tissue drug levels were determined and compared with those obtained using infusion without occlusion. Results indicate that when Adriamycin is administered into the hepatic artery of dogs, occlusion-infusion produces significantly greater hepatic venous drug levels, drug uptake, and drug metabolism than does infusion alone.