Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: a case report

Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a complex procedure used for the treatment of various types of cancer. Specifically, HIPEC has shown success where treatment failure sites (metastases) thrive. A classic example of one such area is the peritoneal surface, which remains a prominent failure site for patients with gynecologic and gastrointestinal cancer. Traditionally, most patients with advanced stages of cancer have undergone palliative procedures as part of their treatment modality or had no surgery at all. With the advent of cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC, patients with peritoneal cancer have shown increased survival rates. Anesthetic complications are common during this procedure with disturbances in hemodynamics, coagulation, and respiratory gas exchange. A knowledge of what to anticipate anesthetically will guide the practitioner to achieve successful management during and after the case. In this case report, a 71-year-old woman was treated for stage Ill peritoneal and ovarian cancer by cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC.