Everything You Need To Know About HIPEC Surgery For Cancer

HIPEC stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. It refers to a cancer treatment that pumps warm drugs into the patient’s abdomen. The drugs aren’t injected directly into the patient’s bloodstream, so they don’t move inside the body as much as chemotherapy injected via an IV.

The chemotherapy drugs are heated to about 106-109 degrees Fahrenheit. The cancer cells fail to balance heat and healthy cells. The heat created helps the drugs enter the patient’s cells more easily to destroy the cancer cells.

HIPEC is major surgery, so the patient needs to spend time recovering in the hospital.

Dr. Amit Gandhi is the most-trusted name when it comes to performing critical HIPEC surgery in Mumbai. With 20 years of experience and 5000+ surgeries, he has become a well-accomplished specialist for HIPEC treatment and surgery. HIPEC surgery is performed for hard-to-treat abdominal cancers, such as appendix and colorectal cancer, and peritoneal mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the abdomen, often caused due to inhaling asbestos). The treatment has also proven effective against ovarian and gastric cancer.

Treatment Overview

The entire procedure may take 8-10 hours and is performed under general anesthesia to experience a painless procedure. The doctor then cut away visible tumors. Then, the patient’s abdomen is filled with heated liquid containing chemotherapy drugs to target cancer.

To keep the patient’s body’s core temperature down during surgery, the doctor will put a special cooling blanket.After enough time, the doctor drains away from the drugs from the abdomen, stitches the surgical site, and moves the patient to the intensive care unit for recovery.

Recovery Procedure

Once the patient is shifted to the intensive care unit, the surgeon and healthcare professionals will check for fluid tests, blood glucose levels, and electrolytes. The doctor may prescribe some antibiotics to ward off the infection. Maintain a healthy diet and never skip follow-up appointments for a speedy recovery.

What is the follow-up procedure post-HIPEC?

Patients should expect to have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Amit Gandhi approximately 1-2 weeks after getting discharged from the hospital. During this visit, patients will require an oncology dietician to evaluate their nutritional status and create an individualized patient care treatment. Additionally, follow-up lab work for tumors should be drawn every three months for the first two years. postoperatively, then every six months for 3-5 years. The doctor will suggest CT scans after

very six months for 3-5 years. The doctor will suggest CT scans after every six months for the first two years post-surgery. If at any point the tumor markers get elevated, the doctor may demand additional CT scans.

What are the risk factors for cancer?

The risk factors for cancer include:

• • Increasing age
  • Family history
  • Inherited genes that increase cancer
  • Exposure to the radiation
  • Obesity
  • Smoking and alcohol

Looking for an expert consultation on cancer? Book your appointment with our expert team for certified cancer examination and HIPEC treatment in Mumbai.