Marking the State’s First Use of LAVA® for Liver Resection Patients
For liver cancer patients, undergoing a partial hepatectomy can be incredibly beneficial. While the procedure can limit the disease’s spread, the American Cancer Society cautions that resection is a “major serious operation” requiring extreme skill and care. This is why CARTI is dedicated to harnessing innovative technologies—before, during and after—to help ensure surgical success and enhance patients’ outcomes.
Recently, Blake Jacks, M.D., a board-certified interventional radiologist, was the first in Arkansas to utilize the LAVA® Liquid Embolic System (LES) during a portal vein embolization (PVE). During the minimally invasive outpatient procedure, Dr. Jacks injected the patient’s portal vein to divert blood flow to the healthy parts of the patient’s organ, thereby enlarging the future liver remnant. This action will enable the surgeon to perform a more extension resection, expanding the benefits of the upcoming surgery while preventing potential liver insufficiency.
Seminars in Interventional Radiology, a peer-reviewed journal, stated that PVE “continues to play an important role in the surgical management of liver malignancy.” LAVA® allowed Dr. Jacks to execute the procedure with greater precision and control. LAVA® also has greater cohesion than other embolic agents like glue or coils, further improving the PVE’s effectiveness.
CARTI’s mission is to make trusted cancer care accessible for every patient we serve, including leading-edge interventional radiology. We salute Dr. Jacks for his innovative use of the LAVA® LES during PVE, a technology that offers promising results for liver cancer patients facing resection.
