[Problems of surgical re-intervention in primary retroperitoneal tumours in adults (author's transl)]

After a short discussion of primary retroperitoneal tumour characteristics, the effectiveness of surgical re-interventions in recurrences of these tumours with regard to our own cases (1964 to 1978: 97 primary retroperitoneal tumours) is analysed. Repeated aggressive surgical interventions combined with chemo-and radiotherapy, particularly in malignant mesenchymal primary retroperitoneal tumours with an average of 5.8 years (10 cases), show a distinct improvement in survival rates, while the same procedure in 3 malignant neurogenic and teratoid primary retroperitoneal tumours resulted in an insignificant average prolongation of life of 8.3 months since the first operation for malignant growth. In 6 patients malignant degeneration of the primary retroperitoneal tumour, as described in literature, occurred. Malignant metaplasia appeared on an average of 5 years after radical extirpation of the primary benign tumour, partly after repeated benign recurrences. Therefore the benign primary retroperitoneal tumour should principally be put on a level with the malignant form concerning surgical tactics and tumour aftercare.