Doctors perform 9-hour-long rare ovarian cancer surgery to save life of Vizag homemaker

Visakhapatnam: A 42-year-old homemaker suffering from advanced ovarian cancer has recovered after undergoing a nearly nine-hour-long surgical procedure that combined cytoreductive surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).

The patient from Visakhapatnam was admitted with complaints of severe abdominal pain. Detailed investigations, including imaging and other diagnostic tests, revealed advanced ovarian cancer accompanied by abdominal fluid accumulation (ascites).

Addressing the media, surgical oncologist Dr. Krovvidi Lakshminarayana Rao said the patient first underwent six cycles of chemotherapy. “There was a significant reduction in the tumour size from about 7 cm and a marked decrease in ascites,” he said.

“After the chemotherapy response, we decided to proceed with cytoreductive surgery along with HIPEC,” he added.

Hospital intervention and procedure

The procedure was performed at KIMS Seethammadhara, where the medical team opted for cytoreductive surgery followed by HIPEC as part of the treatment plan.

Explaining the procedure, Dr. Lakshminarayana Rao said that HIPEC is carried out after surgically removing all visible cancerous lesions from the abdominal cavity.

“During the procedure, heated chemotherapy drugs are circulated within the abdomen for a fixed duration. The heat enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy, allowing the drug to penetrate deeper into residual cancer cells. Unlike conventional chemotherapy, HIPEC acts locally, thereby reducing systemic side effects,” he said.

He added that the procedure not only removes visible tumours but also helps eliminate microscopic residual cancer cells, thereby reducing the chances of recurrence.

“HIPEC has shown promising results in improving disease control, long-term survival, and quality of life, particularly in selected cases of ovarian cancer,” he said.

Team effort and recovery

The surgery was carried out by a multidisciplinary team comprising anaesthesiologists led by Dr. T.A.R. Varma, along with the critical care team headed by Dr. Ramakrishna.

The patient recovered well postoperatively and was discharged in stable condition, the doctors said.