Effect of aberrant hepatic arterial anatomy on tumour response to hepatic artery infusion of floxuridine for colorectal liver metastases.

Regional hepatic artery infusion of colorectal liver metastases produces the highest reported treatment response. The effect of variation in hepatic artery anatomy on tumour response to regional floxuridine (FUdR) was studied. Aberrant hepatic arterial anatomy occurred in 13 of 74 patients (18 per cent) who underwent cannulation of the hepatic artery and infusion of FUdR for colorectal liver metastases. The non-dominant hepatic artery was ligated and the dominant artery cannulated in those with aberrant anatomy. Despite evidence of a collateral circulation to the non-dominant area of the liver in these patients, there was no significant reduction in median tumour volume with treatment (before treatment 214 ml, after treatment 339 ml). By contrast, there was a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in median tumour volume (before treatment 329 ml, after treatment 148 ml) in those with normal anatomy. Delivery of FUdR to metastases via an intrahepatic collateral circulation was not as effective as through a main hepatic artery.