Surgery for ovarian cancer

The best type of surgery for you will depend on the stage of your cancer. The types of surgery include:

Laparotomy: This operation opens up the abdomen so that the organs there can be examined and tissue samples taken. If the cancer is only in one ovary, it may be possible to remove the affected ovary and leave the other ovary and womb in place.

Radical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: In this operation, your cervix, womb, two ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed. A layer of fatty tissue that surrounds the organs in the abdomen (called the omentum) may also be removed.

Colostomy
Sometimes if the tumour has spread to your bowel, the section of your bowel with the cancer may be removed and the two ends joined back together. In some cases it is not possible to join up the bowel again. Instead the bowel is brought out onto the surface of your abdomen through a cut in your skin. This is called a colostomy. This may be done in the short term or it may be permanent. If it is temporary, the bowel can be rejoined inside at a later stage. 

The opening onto the surface of your abdomen is known as a stoma. Instead of passing a bowel motion through your back passage, the motion passes through the stoma into a bag attached to your body. We have more information on stomas.