Laboratory Investigations of the Flow Characteristics During Intraperitoneal Perfusional Chemotherapy in Hyperthermia - Preliminary Results

Intraperitoneal perfusional chemotherapy in hypertermia (IPCH) is complex method for the treatment of ovarian cancer. During the procedure chemotherapeutic agent is administrated into the peritoneal cavity using continuous perfusion and hyperthermic conditions. So far, there are no reports presenting the influence of the flow characteristics on cytostatic distribution during IPCH. Described experiment was performed on a laboratory model of the abdominal cavity to determine optimal conditions of the IPCH procedure. The flow characteristics were determined by means of the conductometric measurements of the tracer (sodium chloride) concentration in the circulating fluid. The tracer was introduced into the system as instantaneous pulse. Analysed parameters were the system capacity (V), discharge of the circulating fluid (Q), number and location of inlet and outlet drains. The measured values give possibility to determine both the simpli-fied mean detention time (t = V/Q) and the distribution of deten-tion time. These parameters contain important information. For example, the mean detention time is equal to 5 minutes (V = 5, 0 l, Q = 1, 01/min), whereas the investigation shows that first rations of the tracer mass leave the system earlier, after some dozens of seconds. This fact shows the purposefulness of optimising the number and location of drains. But from the other hand, the calculated tracer distribution curve proves very high dispersive properties of the system. This work is a preliminary report, but it shows that the laboratory model will allow to determine the optimal perfusion parameters. The investigations may substantially influence the clinical standards of the IPCH treatment.