Hepatic artery-biliary fistula. An unusual complication of infusion therapy.

This report describes a patient with carcinoid metastatic to the liver in whom a hepatic artery catheter was placed for infusion therapy. This resulted in a previously unreported complication of a hepatic artery-biliary fistula. The clinical presentation of this complication and mode of management are described. The etiologic factors responsible for this complication are discussed. It is speculated that as more aggressive therapy for hepatic metastases is undertaken, this potential complication will be seen more frequently.