[Regional hyperthermic perfusion with cytostatic agents in malignant melanoma of the extremities (author's transl)].

From December 1978 to February 1981 91 regional hyperthermic perfusions with melphalan (1.0 or 1.5 mg/kg body weight) were performed in 87 patients with malignant melanoma of the extremities. During a one-hour perfusion with whole blood at an intramuscular temperature of 42 degrees C the flow rate was 264 +/- 62 ml/min in the upper and 495 +/- 42 ml/min in the lower limb. Apart from one intima dissection there were no serious intraoperative complications. Postoperatively one female patient died on the 19th day from acute right heart failure with severe bone marrow suppression. In six patients intransigent metastases appeared after an average of six months. One patient developed lung metastases 7 months postoperatively from which he died. Seventy-nine patients remained free of tumour during the observation period.