The doctors in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur have successfully performed its first cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for a patient diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei, marking a significant milestone for the institute. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a specialised treatment approach for certain rare abdominal cancers, particularly those with peritoneal metastasis (cancer spread to the lining of the abdominal cavity). This procedure combines surgical removal of visible tumors with the local application of heated chemotherapy to target microscopic cancer cells.

 

A 48-year-old woman came with complaints of abdominal pain and progressive distension over six months. Following evaluation, she was referred to the Department of Surgical Oncology, where Dr Neelesh Srivastava, Assistant Professor, led the diagnosis and management. Further investigations confirmed pseudomyxoma peritonei, a rare and aggressive peritoneal malignancy that responds poorly to conventional chemotherapy. Considering the nature of the disease, the multidisciplinary team opted for cytoreductive surgery followed by HIPEC, a standard curative approach for such cases. The complex procedure was carried out successfully, with critical intraoperative support from the Department of Anaesthesiology led by Dr Ridhima Sharma, Associate Professor. Post-operative care was managed by Dr Deepak Modi, Assistant Professor, in the Surgical ICU.

 

The patient recovered well and was discharged on the eighth post-operative day. This is the first time that the HIPEC procedure has been performed at AIIMS Nagpur, representing a major advancement in the institute’s surgical oncology capabilities. Dr Prashant Joshi, Director and CEO, AIIMS Nagpur said, “CRS involves surgically removing as much of the visible cancerous tissue as possible from the abdominal cavity. This may include removing parts of the peritoneum (lining of the abdomen), as well as portions of organs like the intestines, spleen, or liver if they are involved. HIPEC is a procedure where a heated chemotherapy solution is circulated within the abdominal cavity immediately after CRS.