Endovascular embolization in the treatment of patients with complicated malignant neoplasms of the head and neck organs

Malignant neoplasms of the head and neck organs are quite rare, but they are the leading causes of death in cancer patients. High mortality rates are associated with the peculiarities of the clinical course of tumors of this localization, their pronounced effect on the patient’s somatic status, as well as the highly toxic methods of antitumor treatment used. Due to the unique topographic and anatomical features of the structures of the head and neck, malignant tumors in the process of their growth can give a wide range of complications, significantly aggravating the clinical prognosis. Bleeding in the head and neck prevents the initiation or continuation of antitumor treatment, and in some cases is the reason for its complete rejection. The main method of hemostasis in such situations for a long time was open ligation of the branches of the external carotid artery or its trunk, which often led to the development of irreversible ischemic disorders and frequent recurrence of bleeding due to the opening of collateral blood flow. These disadvantages required the development and widespread implementation of new methods of hemostasis, which make it possible to stop bleeding in cancer patients with a lower risk of complications. Vascular embolization is used as one of these methods today. The purpose of this work is to review the scientific literature data on the methodology of vascular embolization of tumors of the head and neck, modern devices used for endovascular embolization and embolizing agents, complications of intraarterial embolization of tumor vessels during tumor bleeding, as well as the clinical significance of this method in the treatment of complications of the course of the tumor process in the head and neck.