One of the common complications of head and neck tumors is bleeding from of their vessels. An endovascular access allows selective arterial embolization of tumor vessels with a minimal effect on the perfusion of adjacent healthy tissues.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of palliative and preoperative intra-arterial embolization in the treatment of tumor bleeding in head and neck tumors.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

From January 2018 to December 2020, a total of 41 patients underwent intra-arterial embolization for head and neck tumors at the Department of X-ray Endovascular Methods for Diagnosis and Treatment, P.A. Herzen Moscow Oncology. Research Institute. Palliative embolization was performed in 17 patients; preoperative embolization was done in 24 patients. Their tumor treatment history, bleeding history, angiography results, technical success, clinical success, complications, and long-term results were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The positive angiography result in detecting afferent arteries of the tumor was 100% (41/41). The technical success of intra-arterial embolization was 100% (41/41). The clinical success in the early postoperative period was 97% (40/41). Recurrent bleeding in the palliative embolization group within 30 days occurred in 11 (27%) patients. The timing of preoperative endovascular embolization to surgery was 6 days [4; 11 days]; no recurrent bleeding was observed in this group. Preoperative embolization of head and neck tumor arteries significantly reduced intraoperative blood loss and surgery time.

CONCLUSION

Endovascular embolization is safe and effective in treating tumor bleeding in head and neck cancer and makes it possible to achieve a hemostatic effect with a possibility of further implementation of specific treatment. Preoperative embolization significantly lowers intraoperative blood loss and shortens surgery time.