Chennai pvt hospital performed HIPEC on end-stage cancer patient

CHENNAI: A city-based private hospital treated a 54-year-old Kenyan National with advanced-stage colorectal cancer through surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC). Experts stated that the HIPEC treatment certainly improves the longevity of life for the patient who has reached an advanced stage of cancer eliminating the chances of the cancer cells spreading to other organs in the body.

Specialists at MGM cancer institute did a detailed investigation to ensure that the cancer had not spread to the other organs after which the patient underwent surgery along with CRS-HIPEC.

"Most of the cancer patients do under-go chemotherapy, it will be offered as tablets or will be given in the form of intravenous medication (IV). In patients with such complications which are nearing the end-stage a simple tumour removal surgery alone will not be sufficient. Hence we decided to perform HIPEC," said Dr. Balaji Ramani, Senior Consultant and Clinical Lead, Surgical Oncologist, MGM Cancer Institute.

The doctors removed the tumour cells through surgery which is known as Cyto-Reductive Surgery (CRS) followed by HIPEC. Pumping the chemotherapy drug into the abdominal cavity at a heated temperature of 42 degree celsius which is monitored using an intra-abdominal temperature probe. This inflow of liquid goes on for more than an hour, which impacts the micro cancer cells in the affected area.

"This procedure will aid patients to live a better quality of life free from cancer. The 12-hour procedure was successful and the patient was under observation in the ICU for two days and was discharged in a week," said another senior doctor at the institute.