An interventional radiologist, a perfusionist, and an anesthesiologist walk into a nonoperating room clinical suite and successfully perform a novel procedure for metastatic uveal melanoma, a rare, often-untreatable disease. It's not a joke or even science fiction, but a reality at UCLA Health, where they are providing the Hepzato Kit™ procedure in an interventional radiology suite to deliver high doses of chemotherapy directly to the liver without exposing the rest of the body to the drugs. This targeted approach means fewer side effects, making the treatment safer and more effective for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma who have liver metastases that cannot be surgically removed.
“It's an example of what can be done in a less-invasive setting and still make a big difference in patient care,” says Dane Saksa, MD, MBA, director of non-operating room anesthesia at UCLA Health. “Up until five to 10 years ago, interventional radiologists were doing...
