Treatment of gestational choriocarcinoma and massive ascites by hypothermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy guided by ultrasound followed by cytoreductive surgery

A 33-year-old woman with very poor health status was admitted to our hospital because she had experienced increasing abdominal distention for three months, CT examination showed a right ovarian tumor together with massive abdominal and pelvic fluid. The patient was first treated by continuous circulatory hypothermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy (HIPC) guided by B-mode ultrasound, followed by cytoreductive surgery (CRS) after her ascites was controlled and her health condition improved. She was diagnosed with gestational choriocarcinoma (GC) based on the pathological examination of the hysterectomy specimen. She is still alive with very good health today. We think it may be a good choice for a patient in very poor health with GC accompanied by massive ascites to perform HIPC guided by B-mode ultrasound firstly, followed by CRS when the ascites has relieved and the patient’s health has improved.