Minimally invasive surgical treatment for early-stage ovarian cancer: a case report

Abstract

Case report of a 54-year-old patient, with no complaints and noalterations detected during the physical examination, who underwenta routine pelvic ultrasound that showed a complex cyst on the rightovary which was confirmed with a CT scan. The serum CA125 levelwas elevated while other tumor markers – carcinoembryonic antigen,alphafetoprotein antigen and the beta human chorionic gonadotrophinwere normal. Videolaparoscopy was used for the diagnosis andtherapeutic management, revealing vegetating lesions on bothovaries but no other alterations. Biopsies were performed on thetumor masses and analyzed using the frozen section technique duringthe surgical procedure which revealed a serous neoplasm of lowmalignant potential - borderline. Next, ovarian carcinoma stagingwas performed in accordance with the standards recommended bythe International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics: bilateralsalpingo-oophorectomy, total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateralpelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. To complete the staging,an omentectomy was performed by means of a 4 cm transverseincision in the epigastric region which was enlarged using a specialDexterity Protractor™retractor. The incision also enabled the removalof surgical specimens. The patient was discharged from the hospitalon the following day and recovered without any complications.Histological analysis confirmed the borderline tumor and no malignantcells were found on the other surgical specimens. Videolaparoscopy,minilaparotomy and the special retractor enabled adequate diagnosis,staging and removal of the localized ovarian tumor