HIPEC ( Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy)
HIPEC surgery, also known as hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, is a treatment that involves two stages and is used to treat specific types of abdominal cancer. After surgery to remove cancerous tumors, the patient will have chemotherapy medications that have been heated and then put directly within the belly to kill any residual cancerous cells.
What exactly is a HIPEC procedure?
The HIPEC operation consists of administering high doses of chemotherapy directly into the abdomen in order to treat cancer that has progressed beyond the organ from which it initially originated. It might be challenging to treat tumors of the abdominal cavity using conventional chemotherapy if cancer has spread to the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum). HIPEC surgery is a more successful therapeutic option than other surgical procedures.
What types of cancer does HIPEC surgery treat?
The HIPEC procedure is able to treat a variety of abdominal conditions, including fluid buildup and malignancy. The following is a list of the most common malignancies treated with HIPEC:
- Appendix cancer
- Colon and rectal cancer
- Gastric (stomach) cancer
- Liver cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Ovarian cancer
- Peritoneal cancer
What are the benefits of HIPEC surgery?
During HIPEC surgery, massive doses of chemotherapy are administered directly into the belly, reaching areas that more conventional forms of chemotherapy are unable to properly achieve.
Patients who have been diagnosed with cancer at an advanced stage or who are unable to undergo surgery may benefit from this novel approach, which has the potential to enhance long-term outcomes and expand their treatment options.
Dr. Vinay – Best Surgeon for HIPEC surgery procedure
Dr. Vinay Samuel Gaikwad is a talented cancer surgeon who has had substantial education and training. He has extensive clinical expertise spanning over two decades and has been affiliated with some of India’s most prestigious hospitals in the past. He is a good fit surgeon to perform HIPEC surgery in Gurgaon, Haryana.
How is HIPEC surgery performed?
The HIPEC operation is performed in two stages:
Cytoreductive Surgery
The initial phase of HIPEC surgery is cytoreductive surgery. Your physician will create an incision in your belly while you are under anesthetic so that they can examine any obvious signs of malignant tumors and damaged tissue.
HIPEC Procedure
The HIPEC method constitutes the second stage of the process. Following the removal of any visible tumors and sick tissue from the abdomen, your surgeon will place a catheter carrying the chemotherapy medications, which will then be pushed into your abdominal cavity via the catheter. During the one to two hours, while the chemotherapy chemicals are being circulated through your belly, the catheters are attached to a perfusion machine, which warms the drugs and circulates them through your abdomen. Before closing the incision, your surgeon will flush the abdomen with a salt solution and drain any residual chemotherapy that may be present in the abdominal cavity.
It is ossible that the duration of the procedure will change depending on the degree to which cancer has progressed throughout the abdomen. When cancer has progressed to an advanced stage, the surgical treatment may take longer.
HIPEC Surgery- Possible Risks
When having any kind of medical operation, there is always the chance that something unexpected can go wrong. The risk of bleeding and infection is always present with any kind of surgical procedure, but it is especially high following cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC. Other issues that occur less frequently include the following:
A condition in which blood clots form in the legs and then migrate to other areas of the body, most commonly the lungs.
The formation of an Enterocutaneous fistula, which is defined as an opening between the abdominal skin and the intestines, or an anastomotic leak (a leak that may occur when sections of the intestines are surgically reconnected).
After surgery, an inability to consume sufficient amounts of calories. Patients who are in this situation are given nutrition intravenously (also known as TPN) to assist them in meeting their calorie requirements.
Am I a candidate for HIPEC surgery?
This is something that is contingent on the location of cancer’s origin as well as the degree to which it has spread. Your primary care physician will decide if you are in good enough health to proceed with the surgery.
The hyperthermic chemotherapy treatment can be beneficial to a large number of individuals. Your healthcare provider will take the following into consideration when deciding whether or not to refer you for HIPEC:
In the event that you suffer from further medical issues.
- The location of the malignancy in your abdomen.
- Your physical capacity in its entirety.
- Your past surgical procedures.
HIPEC is typically reserved for patients who have more advanced forms of abdominal cancer, such as those that have spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy as it is typically practiced are typically not as successful in treating serious abdominal malignancies.
FAQs
During the HIPEC procedure, we heat the chemotherapy to a temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius) and then circulate it throughout your belly. During the HIPEC procedure, we will take additional measures to ensure that your core temperature remains within an acceptable range. The process, which is often referred to as “hot chemotherapy,” generally lasts for approximately an hour and a half.
In spite of the success of CRS/HIPEC in curing peritoneal surface illness, the vast majority of patients will inevitably suffer from recurrence of the condition at some point (2-4). In the majority of cases, recurrence after CRS/HIPEC happens in a single isolated intra-abdominal site. This occurs in 31–57 percent of individuals (4-7)
One of the most significant advantages of HIPEC is that it makes it possible to administer a high dose of chemotherapy to the part of the body that requires it while limiting the amount of chemotherapy that the rest of the body is exposed to. This indicates that it is possible to prevent the common side effects of chemotherapy, such as hair loss, diarrhea, and mouth sores, in many cases.
HIPEC is traditionally carried out as an open surgical procedure, and it is commonly linked to major abdominal surgery that is performed with the patient’s abdomen exposed, which results in extended post-operative recovery durations. On the other hand, HIPEC can be performed laparoscopically in situations where only minimal or no tumor debulking is necessary.