Aortitis during intraarterial chemotherapy for cervical cancer

A 76-year-old woman with stage IIb cervical cancer with a bulky tumor experienced aortitis during continuous intraarterial cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The chemotherapy was administered through a catheter tip placed in the aorta abdominalis, utilizing an external infusion pump. During the third course of chemotherapy, she complained of left-sided lower back pain and moderate fever was observed. Elevated white blood cell count (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level were noted, and an abdominal X-ray and urgent computed tomography (CT) were performed. The catheter tip was displaced against the arterial blood flow. At this level of the aortic wall, soft tissue density surrounded the aorta completely. Aortitis caused by the intraarterial chemotherapy, was strongly suspected. It was thought that the maldistribution of drugs and changes in the drug flow occurrred due to the vertebral height movement of the catheter tip against the aortic blood flow, and there, flow to the vasa vasorum may have occurred. Chemical vasculitis of the vasa vasorum due to the anticancer drugs was strongly suspected as a contributing factor of the aortitis. Because of the long-term use of an intraarterial catheter, the maldistribution of drugs and changes in the drug flow occurred physically and biologically during the course of the chemotherapy. We recommend occasional monitoring of the location of the catheter tip and a repeat evaluation with contrast medium in regard to flow to the vasa vasorum.