Surgical treatment of patients with peritoneal surface malignancy: cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

A peritoneal surface malignancy is one of an assortment of tumors that result in widespread peritoneal involvement, can affect multiple organs, and may arise from the appendix, colon, rectum, stomach, ovaries, or peritoneal lining. The combined treatment modality of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy has gained recognition as a promising, potentially life-extending surgical treatment option for the management of peritoneal surface malignancies. This type of surgical treatment is not without risks and complications, often resulting in the formation of fistulas and the need for a diverting ostomy. This article presents a review of peritoneal surface malignancies, cytoreductive surgery, the perioperative management of the surgical patient with focus on complications and implications for the WOC nurse providing care for patients undergoing this complex surgical treatment.