Manipal Hospital, Saltlake performs 10-Hour high-risk Ovarian Cancer surgery with zero residual disease

Mumbai / Kolkata, 14th July 2025: In a remarkable feat of advanced surgical care, Manipal Hospital, Saltlake successfully performed a 10-hour-long, high-risk surgery on a 60-year-old patient diagnosed with severely advanced ovarian cancer. The patient, Rina Ganguly (name changed), had cancer that not only spread extensively in the abdominal cavity but had also reached the chest lymph nodes, making the case highly complex. Ovarian cancer is the third most common cancer among women in India and is often referred to as a “silent killer” due to its lack of symptoms in the early stages, which frequently leads to diagnosis at an advanced stage. In such cases, performing an ultra-radical surgery to remove all visible disease is the most crucial prognostic factor in improving survival outcomes.

The operation was led by Dr. Arunava Roy, Consultant, Gynaecologic Onco-Surgery, Manipal Hospital, Saltlake with his team Dr. Arunashis Mallick and Dr Neha Agarwal, supported by an experienced multidisciplinary team comprising anaesthetists, ICU specialists, and nurses. Following clinical assessment and anaesthesia approval, the team opted for an upfront radical surgery approach aimed at achieving zero residual disease, meaning no visible tumour remains in the body post-surgery. Depending on the severity and spread of cancer, this approach may involve operating on several major organs.

Rina Ganguly (patient name altered) had a major and lengthy surgery involving the excision of lymph nodes of the chest and cancerous nodules from all regions of the abdomen including the diaphragm, bowel surfaces, ovaries, uterus, pelvic peritoneum, and bladder peritoneum. The operation also involved a total omentectomy (removing the whole fatty apron-like tissue from the abdomen to get rid of any cancer deposits), stripping of the diaphragm (removing the cancer-affected outer layer of the diaphragm), selective peritonectomy (removing only the cancer-infected portions of the abdominal lining), recto-sigmoid resection (removing the lower portion of the large intestine), and anastomosis to maintain bowel continuity (reconnecting the intestine after a part is removed). The tumour deposits were removed meticulously from all sites of involvement, including a small bowel mesenteric deposit (the connective tissue around the small intestine) and the right cardiophrenic node (lymph node located near the point where the heart and the diaphragm meet on the right side of the chest).

Despite the intricacy and length of the surgery, which started at 8 AM and lasted till 6 PM, one unit of blood transfusion was all that was needed. During the surgery, the patient was continuously observed and kept in stable condition by the anaesthesia team. After the surgery, she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and provided with critical care support and got shifted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) within 48 hours.

What was remarkable in this case was the quick and incident-free recovery of the patient. Within six days of surgery, she could walk, bathe, consume a normal diet, and even use the washroom independently. She was discharged from the hospital in a stable condition after achieving full postoperative recovery with no complications.

Speaking on the surgery, Dr. Arunava Roy stated, “This was a particularly challenging case of advanced ovarian cancer. Our objective was to ensure zero residual disease, which means surgically removing every visible trace of cancer, no matter where it is. These surgeries demand meticulous planning, surgical precision, and coordinated teamwork. I am proud of our team at Manipal Hospital, Saltlake, for delivering an outstanding clinical outcome with minimal blood loss and excellent postoperative recovery.”

This case points to the hospital’s skill in managing stage IV cancers through a holistic, multidisciplinary treatment plan, affirming Manipal Hospital, Saltlake’s dedication to providing world-class cancer treatment.