ObjectivesTo describe the postoperative course of patients who underwent hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion with recombinant tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and melphalan after pretreatment with recombinant interferon-gamma as treatment for recurrent melanoma, primary nonresectable soft-tissue tumors, planocellular carcinoma, or metastatic carcinoma. To measure systemic TNF-alpha concentrations and relate these values with indices of disease severity.SettingA 12-bed surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in a university referral hospital.DesignProspective, descriptive study.PatientsConsecutive patients (n equals 25) treated with hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion.InterventionsBlood samples were taken at regular intervals to determine TNF-alpha concentrations during and after hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion with recombinant TNF-alpha. Hemodynamic variables were obtained with a Swan-Ganz pulmonary artery catheter.Measurements and Main ResultsAll patients developed features of sepsis syndrome and required intensive care treatment. Most patients recovered quickly, with a median ICU stay of 2 days (range 1 to 25). Maximum systemic TNF-alpha concentrations ranged from 2284 to 83,000 ng/L (median 25,409) and returned to baseline values within 8 hrs. Despite these high concentrations of TNF-alpha, no patient died in the ICU, although the patient with the highest TNF-alpha concentration developed multiple organ failure and required continuous venovenous hemofiltration for 16 days.Linear regression analysis showed positive correlations between maximum TNF-alpha concentrations and systemic vascular resistance (p less than .01), cardiac index (p less than .02), Lung Injury Score (p less than .02), prothrombin time (p less than .02), and activated partial thromboplastin time (p less than .05).ConclusionsHyperthermic isolated limb perfusion with recombinant TNF-alpha leads to high systemic concentrations of TNF-alpha, probably due to leakage of recombinant TNF-alpha from the perfusion circuit, mainly through collateral blood flow. A sepsis-like syndrome is seen in all patients. Despite high concentrations of systemic TNF-alpha, this sepsis syndrome is short-lived and recovery is rapid and complete in most patients.(Crit Care Med 1996; 24:765-770)