Transcatheter venous embolization of a massive hepatic arteriovenous shunt complicating hepatocellular carcinoma using an Amplatzer Vascular Plug

Arteriovenous (AV) shunts are relatively uncommon in the liver and usually associated with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In patients with massive AV shunts complicating advanced HCC, transarterial chemoinfusion therapy is not effective because chemotherapeutic agents go through the shunts and may cause systemic toxicity as well as decrease the chemotherapeutic effects against the tumor. We report two cases of successful transcatheter venous embolization of massive AV shunts complicating advanced HCC using the Amplatzer Vascular Plug for transarterial chemoinfusion therapy.