ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The successful surgical management of patients suspected of having ovarian cancer is based on a firm understanding and safe accomplishment of well-defined surgical goals. For ovarian cancer surgery, the surgical goals are fourfold:
1. Confirmation of the diagnosis of ovarian cancer 2. Determining the extent of disease (surgical stage) 3. Achievement of optimal surgical cytoreduction (defined
currently as no residual tumor implant greater than 1 cm in size with the ultimate goal of no gross residual disease)
4. Palliation of symptoms
Optimizing surgical outcomes with respect to improving prognosis and patient safety (decreasing surgical morbidity and mortality) is of paramount importance. Although surgery remains the cornerstone of contemporary ovarian cancer diagnosis and initial treatment, it is in fact a detailed process that begins well before the patient ever reaches the operating room. It is therefore incumbent on the surgeon to lay the foundation for a safe and successful operation and recovery by implementing a thorough diagnostic evaluation, which includes not only evaluation of the extent of the disease but also optimization of comorbid medical conditions. Additionally, the surgeon must have a thorough understanding of the modern surgical instrumentation utilized during ovarian cancer surgery.
