A relation between the type of operation and information viewed could be shown. A benefit for the patient may be assumed on the basis of the reduced effort required to retrieve patient data as well as increased intraoperative consultation of patient records. The system provides the surgeon with greater flexibility and may reduce operating time.

The effectiveness of iloprost, a prostacyclin derivative, was assessed in a placebo-controlled multicentre trial on 101 patients with chronic arterial disease, stage IV. All patients were on a basic local treatment, 53 randomly being assigned to the iloprost group, 48 to the placebo one. Both groups received identical saline infusions, one with the other without iloprost. Infusions were given on 28 consecutive days, iloprost being added at a dose of up to 2 ng/kg.min over six hours. At the end of the treatment period, 32 of 52 patients (61.5%) of the iloprost group and eight of the 47 in the placebo group (17%) had partial or complete healing of ulcers (P less than 0.05), the treatment effect persisting in both groups for a mean duration of at least one year. Iloprost was well tolerated, once individual dosages had been appropriately adjusted. Facial flushes, headache and nausea were the most common side effects. Heart rate and blood-pressure variations did not differ between the two groups.

The presented operation unit can significantly improve safety and efficiency as well as the ergonomics for ENT surgery and related procedures.

3 gastric respectively duodenal ulcers, one subileus. The long-term success can only be obtained by a multi-component therapy plan.

We describe a model for the evaluation of anti-tumour antibody specificity, using a human carcinoma-bearing colon segment. After resection of the human colon tumour, the supplying artery was cannulated and perfused with fresh frozen plasma and heparin. Continuous control of pressure, flow, temperature, p~ and various metabolic parameters were performed after administration of I3'llabelled anti-CEA antibody. Highly differentiated adenocarcinomas of the colon showed a much higher antibody uptake than undifferentiated tumours. Between 3 and 7% of the injected antibody was found in the tumour tissue. Autoradiography showed non-homogeneous binding in the tumour tissue. The non-specific antibody perfusion showed no tumour binding. We conclude that the ex vivo perfusion of resected colon carcinomas can be used to measure the kinetics of binding and clearance of MAbs in tumour tissue by direct scintigraphy. The cellular biodistribution of the antibody can be documented by means of autoradiography.The use of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes depends on the uptake and retention of the antibodies in the target neoplastic tissues. The accuracy of presently available methods is subject to inherent limitations with respect to scintigraphic localization, while therapeutic application appears only rarely successful. Recent clinical trials in colon carcinomas have proved more or less disappointing (Beatty et al., 1986; Epenetos et al., 1986; Mach et al., 1987). The purpose of our study was to examine the binding characteristics of CEA antibodies and to investigate the biodistribution of specific and non-specific antibodies in resected human colon tumours. MATERIAL AND METHODSAfter resection of the human colon tumour, the supplying artery was cannulated. The carcinoma-bearing colon segment was then removed and interposed in a closed circulation system similar to that reported by Sears et al. (1981) (Fig. 1). During pulsed perfusion with fresh frozen plasma (200 ml plus 5,000 U heparin) continuous monitorin of pressure, flow, temperature, PH and various metabolic parameters was performed. After administration of the 13t-labelled antibody (300-400 pCi 0.4-0.8 mg) continuous circulation was carried out for 40-45 min. Thereafter unbound MAbs were eluted from the tumour-bearing colon segment (40 min, fresh frozen plasma/Ringer solution 1 +2). During the whole perfusion period continuous scintigraphic analysis was performed, yielding a ratio of maximal accumulation in tumour tissue to accumulation in surrounding non-tumour tissue. After perfusion, tissue samples were taken from the centre of the tumour, the tumour periphery, the non-tumorous intestinal wall, the mucosa, the lymph nodes and the perivascular tissues, for activity determination in counts per g. Cross-sections were performed for autoradiographic and immunohistological documentation, and for antibody and CEA distribution. The specific MAb was C1 P83 (IgGI) directed against 180 kDa CEA (IgG1); the control MAb B40 (IgGI) specificity was not...