What You Need to Know About Ovarian Cancer Surgery & How Complications Are Handled

Reducing the Risk of Complications

The chances of complications following surgery depend on a number of factors, including your age, extent of disease, and whether you have unrelated health conditions. But doctors can tip the scales in your favor by administering chemotherapy prior to surgery.

“Delivering chemotherapy before surgery reduces the risk of patients developing complications by 25 to 30%,” Dr. Chapman says. Chemotherapy treatment can help reduce the volume of disease, so doctors don’t have to remove as much tissue during surgery. The strategy of using chemotherapy before surgery has become even more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, as some surgeries have been postponed in order to minimize infection rates for patients.

This “chemo-first-protocol” is especially important for women who are elderly or frail. Not only are elderly patients more likely to develop complications, but even minor complications can become life-threatening if a patient is already frail or weak. So it’s important for doctors to consider how much the disease has spread and how well the patient will tolerate the proposed surgery.

Common Complications Explained

When a patient is facing major surgery, it’s natural to worry about complications, especially since most ovarian cancer patients are under general anesthesia for several hours.

“While every worry a patient has is legitimate, I can say that the risk of developing a serious complication related to anesthesia delivery is exceedingly low,” Dr. Chapman says. However, it is common for patients who undergo ovarian cancer surgery to require additional medical interventions. A few of the more common include:

• Bowel resection: If your disease has spread to the abdomen, and your surgery involves removing portions of the bowel, your doctor may insert an ostomy bag to relieve the stool. (The bag is usually temporary.)
• Bladder involvement: If your bladder is affected, your doctor may place a thin tube called a catheter in your bladder to remove urine. Catheters are usually temporary and they remain in place until your bladder resumes normal functioning.
• A blood transfusion: Up to 50% of ovarian cancer patients need a blood transfusion during surgery, which increases the risk of infection.
• Treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU): Most patients, particularly those who receive a blood transfusion, will require treatment in the ICU to assist with their recovery after surgery.
• Overnight intubation: You may wake up with a tube down your throat and you’ll likely remain in the hospital for several days following the procedure so doctors can easily manage your pain level and monitor your recovery.

Unfortunately, ovarian cancer surgery can also increase the risk of blood clots and put pressure on the heart and other organs. Patients who develop an infection after surgery usually require longer hospital stays, which can be complicated during the coronavirus pandemic.

“If we get a patient through surgery without any of those complications, we consider ourselves lucky,” Dr. Chapman says. You can do your part to reduce your risk of complications and streamline your recovery by eating well, exercising and building up your stamina prior to surgery.

 

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