HAI pump complications: Half can be salvaged

In 2,935 hepatic artery infusion pump placements, 26% had a pump-related complication; just over half of those patients were able to continue HAI chemotherapy after intervention.

• Abnormal perfusion was most common (12% of patients) and was salvaged in 79% of cases.
• Catheter dislodgement, catheter erosion into bowel, and arterial thrombosis were never salvaged in this series; pseudoaneurysm or hemorrhage was salvaged in only 6%.
• One-year pump failure was 6.6% with adjuvant therapy and 4.5% with palliative therapy.

These results offer useful counseling context, but come from a retrospective experience at one institution over 22 years.