Laparoscopic extraperitoneal salpingo-oophorectomy in women with suspicious ovarian mass, a way to reduce the risk of spillage

The objective of the present paper is to provide a step by step description of the laparoscopic extraperitoneal salpingo-oophorectomy, a surgical technique useful to reduce the risk of spillage in women with suspected ovarian masses. The patient was a 52-year-old woman with sonographic diagnosis of a multilocular, 5 cm lesion, with Color Score 3 at right ovary. Computed tomography (CT) scan excluded any other localization of disease. Tumor markers were negative, except for Ca 19.9 that was 85 IU/mL. Preliminary diagnostic laparoscopy was performed and peritoneal carcinomatosis was excluded. In order to obtain a histological diagnosis, an extraperitoneal right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. At frozen section analysis it was diagnosed an ovarian adenocarcinoma. Therefore, a laparoscopic complete surgical staging including total hysterectomy, controlateral salpingo-oophorectomy, infracolic omentectomy, multiple peritoneal biopsies, and pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy, was performed. Operative time was 240 minutes and estimated blood loss was about 50 mL. No intra or post-operative complications were observed, and the patient was discharged 3 days after surgery. Final histology showed the presence of clear cell high grade carcinoma in both ovaries without fallopian tubes infiltration. Uterus, omentum, peritoneal biopsies and lymph nodes were negative for metastatic localization. Final FIGO stage was IB. After multidisciplinary discussion into the institutional tumor board, 6 cycle of adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy were administered. After 20 months, no evidence of recurrence was observed during routinely follow-up visits.