Hyperthermic Pleural Perfusion Treatment

Many tumors too advanced for surgical removal remain confined to the chest cavity. Hyperthermic pleural perfusion is a surgical technique that we use to treat these types of cancers.

What Can I Expect During Hyperthermic Pleural Perfusion?

In hyperthermic pleural perfusion, our surgeons may first debulk, or partially remove, the tumor prior to treatment.

  • Afterwards, the surgeon makes two small incisions and inserts tubes:
    • One to pump the heated chemotherapy solution into your body.
    • One to circulate the fluid back to the heating equipment.
  • Once the treatment begins, the temperature in the chest cavity rises to between 105 and 107.6 F (40.6 and 42 C).
  • The chemotherapy solution circulates for several hours to kill the cancer cells.
  • The pump is turned off to allow the treated region to cool to normal temperature.
  • Then the surgeon removes the tubes and temperature probes, closes the incisions, and sends you to recovery.

Cancer Types Treated with Hyperthermic Pleural Perfusion:

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