Isolated hepatic perfusion

Isolated Hepatic Perfusion (IHP) is a medical procedure used in the treatment of liver cancer. It is a type of regional chemotherapy that delivers high doses of chemotherapy drugs directly to the liver, while minimizing exposure to the rest of the body.

Procedure

The procedure involves the isolation of the liver's blood supply from the rest of the body's circulation. This is achieved by clamping the hepatic artery and the portal vein, which are the two main blood vessels supplying the liver. A high dose of chemotherapy drugs is then infused into the liver, and the blood leaving the liver is filtered to remove the drugs before it is returned to the body's circulation.

Indications

IHP is used in the treatment of liver cancers that cannot be removed by surgery. This includes primary liver cancer, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, and metastatic liver cancer, which is cancer that has spread to the liver from another part of the body.

Benefits

The main benefit of IHP is that it allows for the delivery of high doses of chemotherapy drugs directly to the liver, which can increase the effectiveness of the treatment. By isolating the liver's blood supply, the procedure also minimizes the exposure of the rest of the body to the drugs, which can reduce the risk of side effects.

Risks

As with any medical procedure, IHP carries some risks. These include complications related to the surgery, such as infection or bleeding, and side effects from the chemotherapy drugs, such as nausea and vomiting. There is also a risk that the procedure may not be successful in treating the cancer.

See also

• Chemotherapy
• Liver cancer
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Metastatic liver cancer