Anesthetic management of a patient with a giant ovarian tumor containing 83 l of fluid

Abstract

We report the anesthetic management of a patient scheduled for tumor resection with a giant ovarian tumor containing 83 l of fluid. A 59-year-old woman [height 154 cm; weight 146 kg (ideal: 52 kg)] with a giant ovarian tumor was scheduled for tumor resection. Her preoperative abdominal circumference was 194 cm, which made supine positioning difficult. The thoracoabdominal computed tomography revealed a right giant cystic ovarian tumor with an estimated mass of 100 kg. Evidence of malignant tumor was not observed. In the operation room, she was intubated using a video laryngoscope (Airway Scope®, Hoya, Tokyo, Japan) in a semirecumbent position under conscious sedation. Following general anesthesia, the tumor fluid was gradually aspirated at a rate of 500 ml/min, and during this procedure, spontaneous respiration was preserved with pressure support ventilation. After the fluid was drained, the tumor was resected in a supine position. There were no major perioperative complications in hemodynamic and respiratory status, such as supine hypotensive syndrome or re-expansion pulmonary edema. Her weight decreased to 50 kg postoperatively. Maintenance of spontaneous respiration and slow aspiration of the tumor fluid prevented respiratory and hemodynamic failure and resulted in safe anesthesia management during giant ovarian tumor resection. © 2013 Bamba et al.