Nine-Hour HIPEC Surgery Saves Ovarian Cancer Patient in Visakhapatnam
Doctors at KIMS Seethammadhara have successfully saved the life of a 42-year-old woman suffering from advanced ovarian cancer by performing a nearly nine-hour-long complex surgical procedure using cytoreductive surgery combined with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).
Visakhapatnam: Doctors at KIMS Seethammadhara have successfully saved the life of a 42-year-old woman suffering from advanced ovarian cancer by performing a nearly nine-hour-long complex surgical procedure using cytoreductive surgery combined with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).
Addressing the media, surgical oncologist Dr. Krovvidi Lakshminarayana Rao said the patient, a homemaker from Visakhapatnam, was admitted to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. Detailed medical investigations, including imaging and diagnostic tests, revealed advanced ovarian cancer along with significant accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites).
The patient was first treated with six cycles of chemotherapy, which resulted in a substantial reduction in tumour size—from approximately 7 cm—and a marked decrease in abdominal fluid. Following this positive response, the medical team decided to proceed with cytoreductive surgery along with HIPEC, an advanced treatment approach for selected cancer cases.
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Explaining the procedure, Dr. Rao said that cytoreductive surgery involves the complete removal of all visible cancerous tissue from the abdominal cavity. This is followed by HIPEC, in which heated chemotherapy drugs are circulated within the abdomen for a specific duration.
“The heat increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy, allowing the drugs to penetrate deeper into residual cancer cells. Since HIPEC acts locally, it significantly reduces the side effects usually seen with conventional systemic chemotherapy,” he explained.
Doctors said the procedure not only removes visible tumours but also helps eliminate microscopic cancer cells, thereby lowering the risk of recurrence. “HIPEC has shown encouraging results in improving disease control, long-term survival and quality of life, especially in carefully selected ovarian cancer patients,” Dr. Rao added.
The surgery was performed by a multidisciplinary medical team, including anaesthesiologists led by Dr. T.A.R. Varma and a critical care team headed by Dr. Ramakrishna.
The patient recovered well following the surgery and was discharged in stable condition, hospital authorities confirmed.
