2.7 f coaxial microcatheter

Hepatic arteriography was performed in all groups of tumor-bearing rabbits under fluoroscopy guidance. Thirty-six tumor-bearing rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. The LD group received the emulsion of 0.5 mL lipiodol and 4 mg donafenib. The LE group received the emulsion of 0.5 mL lipiodol and 4 mg epirubicin. The control group received the equal volume of saline. The rabbit’s femoral artery was dissected and catheterized after anesthesia. A 4-F Cobra catheter (Cook, Inc., Bloomington, Indiana) was inserted into the celiac artery, and a 2.7-F coaxial microcatheter (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan) was further used to select the hepatic artery for angiography to identify the tumor-feeding artery. According to the predetermined groups, the various treatment was administered slowly to avoid the occlusion of non-target vessels. We then used gelatin sponge particles for supplement till the complete embolization of tumor vessels. Finally, all catheters were removed, and all rabbits were intramuscularly injected with penicillin daily for three days.

Hepatic arteries in the CSM-ATO and TAE-CSM groups were embolized with CSM, while the hepatic arteries in the cTACE-ATO and TAE-lipiodol groups were embolized with lipiodol. All rabbits were anesthetized using the aforementioned method in tumor implantation, then the right femoral artery was exposed, and a 4-F sheath (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan) was placed into the artery; after that, a 4-F catheter (Terumo) was inserted into the common hepatic artery to identify the hepatic artery anatomy. A 2.7-F coaxial microcatheter (Terumo) was then catheterized to the left hepatic artery, and the following treatments were conducted respectively according to the method previously described in grouping and treatment. After the treatment, the sheath and the catheter were removed from the artery and the wound was sewn up.