Current techniques of hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion for malignant melanoma

A retrospective study was conducted examining 25 patients with malignant me lanoma who were treated by our new protocol for hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion. The characteristics of our techniques include: a lower priming v olume of the extracorporeal circuit; a therapeutic temperature range of 40- 41 degrees C with 60 min hyperthermic perfusion; a nominal perfusion flow r ate of 500 ml/min in the lower limb and 200 ml/min in the upper limb; and c ombined carboplatin with interferon-beta as the adjuvant chemotherapy drug. In the lower extremity group, the arterial cannula size ranged from 8 to 1 4 F, while the venous cannula size ranged from 14 to 16 F. In the upper lim b group, the arterial cannula size ranged from 6 to 8 F and the venous cann ula size ranged from 10 to 12 F. No patient required any homologous blood t ransfusion postoperatively. No operative death or major complications occur red during the early postoperative period, confirming the safety of this tr eatment. Both optimal cannula size selection and maintaining perfusion temp erature below 41 degrees C were judged to be important in elimination of va scular and deep tissue injury.