[The Czech experience in peritonectomy and hyperthermic perioperative cytostatic lavage in the treatment of peritoneal malignancy].

UNLABELLED: Peritoneal tumor dissemination has been considered as an incurable condition with fatal outcome. However cytoreductive surgery followed immediately by hyperthermic chemoperfusion has been described both for the treatment and prevention of locoregional cancer spread from various origins. This paper summarizes our experience in this field.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 28 patients were operated on for peritoneal dissemination of malignant tumors between 1999 and 2002 in the Surgical Department of the University Hospital Bulovka. Total or limited peritonectomy was carried out in these patients. In addition intraperitoneal perioperative hyperthermic chemoperfusion was performed using an electrolyte solution containing Mitomycin C, Cisplatin or Carboplatin. The perfusion was performed for 90 minutes, reaching a real hyperthermia of 41 to 43 degrees C.

RESULTS: The overall morbidity was high (85.7%), the perioperative mortality (30 days) was 10.7%. Only 3 (15.7%) of 19 patients in whom complete peritonectomy could be carried out died during the follow-up period of 3 months to 3.5 years.

CONCLUSION: There is an increasing evidence of both experimental and clinical studies showing the therapeutic and prophylactic usefulness of peritonectomy and perioperative hyperthermic chemoperfusion in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. However, well designed randomised trials are necessary to establish the role of this promising technique.