Ovarian cancer can spread to other parts of the body, so when a woman undergoes surgery to remove an ovarian tumor, surgeons will remove as much tissue as necessary to be sure all the cancer is gone. During her surgery and recovery, a person might receive general and epidural anesthesia.
Ovarian Tumor Surgery
The scope of the surgery to remove tumors from a woman's ovary depends on how advanced the cancer is. For the earliest stages of ovarian cancer, only the affected ovary and associated fallopian tube are removed. For more advanced stages, ovaries, fallopian tubes and the uterus might all be removed. This is major surgery, and general anesthesia is used for the patient, according to Cancer Research UK.
General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is administered through a combination of intravenous fluids and gases to render a patient unconscious. She will not feel pain during her ovarian tumor surgery, nor will she remember the experience, according to the Mayo Clinic. General anesthesia is used because the procedure is extensive, and surgeons might locate more cancerous material than expected, lengthening the time needed to complete the surgery.
Risks
There are risks associated with being given general anesthesia. Smoking, alcohol use and obesity can increase a patient's risk of experiencing an adverse reaction, so her doctor might suggest quitting smoking and drinking and losing weight before undergoing ovarian tumor surgery. It is not uncommon for a patient to feel nauseated after receiving general anesthesia. Medication is available to counteract that sensation.
Recovery
It is normal for a patient to be in pain after undergoing ovarian tumor surgery. While she is in the hospital for four to 10 days recovering, she can be given pain medication through an epidural. In an epidural, pain medication is injected into a person's back, blocking nerve signals of pain before they can reach the brain, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Considerations
Pain management is an important part of a patient's recovery from ovarian tumor surgery. Not only does she need to let her doctor know if she is in pain so he can be sure she receives the correct form of pain medication, but she also needs to let him know at the first sign of any adverse reactions. This will help lessen the risk of a serious adverse reaction interfering with her recovery.
