Incidence of intestinal obstruction following intraperitoneal chemotherapy for ovarian tubal and peritoneal malignancies.
OBJECTIVE
To report the incidence of intestinal obstruction after intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IP) in women with ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal malignancies, and determine the frequency of malignant versus adhesion-related obstruction.


METHODS
Patients who were treated with at least one dose of IP chemotherapy between 1986 and 1997, and who had at least 3 month follow-up, were included. Data regarding admissions for gastrointestinal obstruction complaints, radiologic diagnosis of intestinal obstruction and medical or surgical management of obstruction were recorded.


RESULTS
We identified 334 patients; 307 met our inclusion criteria. A total of 104 (34%) patients developed symptomatic intestinal obstruction after IP therapy commenced. The overall incidence of adhesion-related or mechanical bowel obstruction was only 4%. In the group of patients with a mechanical bowel obstruction, the median time to diagnosis of obstruction was 21 months (range, 2-51) after initiation of IP treatment. Surgical intervention to relieve the obstruction was performed in 6 (50%) patients diagnosed with adhesion-related bowel obstruction. Similarly, in those diagnosed with a malignant bowel obstruction, 42 (48%) were taken to the operating room in an attempt to relieve the obstruction.


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal obstructions developed in a third of patients who received IP therapy as part of their treatment for advanced ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal cancer. However, the majority of the obstructions are related to progression of malignant intra-abdominal disease. Only 4% of the patients develop intestinal obstruction due to intestinal adhesions after IP treatment.
Kehoe
Siobhan M
SM
Gynecology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Williams
Ned L
NL
Yakubu
Rasheed
R
Levine
Douglas A
DA
Chi
Dennis S
DS
Sabbatini
Paul J
PJ
Aghajanian
Carol A
CA
Barakat
Richard R
RR
Abu-Rustum
Nadeem R
NR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D008942:Mitoxantrone; D002945:Cisplatin