Palliative surgery for intestinal obstruction in advanced ovarian cancer

Intestinal obstruction in ovarian cancer patients is a major complication which frequently affects survival and quality of life. After a reasonable trial of conservative management fails, surgery is the only hope for relief of obstruction. In an effort to evaluate the success of such surgery we have reviewed the outcome of 54 operations (52 patients) for relief of intestinal obstruction performed over the 3-year period 1983-1985. Possible predictive factors for success and survival following surgery were analyzed. The sites of intestinal obstruction in the 54 procedures were as follows: small intestine 24 (44%); large intestine 18 (33%); combined small and large intestine 12 (22%). In 11 operations no surgical correction of the obstruction was possible. In 43, major intestinal procedures were performed, including 14 bypasses, 13 resections, and 20 colostomies. Of the 43 instances in which intestinal procedures were performed, 4 patients expired without leaving the hospital. At the time of discharge from the hospital the remaining 34 of these 43 patients were eating a regular or low-residue diet. Successful palliation of intestinal obstruction was thus achieved in 79% of the 43 instances in which a definitive procedure could be performed, and in 63% of the total of 54 operations. Mean survival following surgery was 6.8 months for the group undergoing a definitive procedure, and 1.8 months for the group undergoing exploration only. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to age, time from diagnosis, prior radiotherapy, number of prior laparotomies, site of obstruction, or use of total parenteral nutrition. None of the multiple clinical variables analyzed correlated with survival following definitive surgery. Most patients explored for intestinal obstruction due to advanced ovarian cancer can have their obstruction relieved and be discharged from the hospital. We were not able to define criteria that would allow selection of patients unlikely to benefit from surgery.