Background In clinical practice, endovascular intervention may be considered as a treatment option in managing patients with active bleeding following head and neck cancer surgery. This study aims to evaluate treatment outcome of patients undergone with selective endovascular embolisation as therapeutic alternative when surgery is not possible.

Material and Method Retrospective chart review of cancer patients treated by the Head and Neck Service of Severance Hospital underwent endovascular embolisation for control of actual or threatened postoperative bleeding, from 2005.January to 2013.February. 10 patients underwent endovascular embolisation for control postoperative bleeding. Demographic variables, location of primary tumour, material for embolisation, and clinical outcomes including incidence of recurrent bleeding were recorded.

Results 10 patients received emblotherapy for acute bleeding after surgery. 9 of 10 cases has allowed patients to undergo successful embolisation. In 1 patient, the procedure failed due to diffuse bleeding without main bleeder and progression of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. The most common cancerous lesion associated with wound bleeding was oral cavity and oropharynx. This was followed by nasopharynx, hypopharynx, respectively. The main bleeding focus was recorded as common carotid artery (4), bifurcation of CCA (1), branch of ECA (distal maxillary artery (2), superior thyroid artery (1)), and thyrocervical trunk (1). The patients underwent interventional embolisation using stent (3),coil (3),vascular plug and microparticles (NBCA)(3).

Conclusion This study demonstrates that selective embolisation was shown to be a feasible and effective method to control acute postoperative bleeding of head and neck cancer.

Disclosures S. Kim: None.