Postoperative embolic complications after cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer

Postoperative embolism after pelvic surgery for ovarian malignancies represents a serious adverse event which might be fatal and should be carefully prevented. In such cases multiple risk factors have been incriminated such as the presence of the malignancy, particularly in cases in which an ovarian primary is suspected, the necessity of performing extended pelvic resections, the length of the surgical procedure, the position of the patient on the operating table or the difficult and late postoperative mobilization of the patient. The aim of the current paper is to report the cases of six patients who developed severe postoperative embolic complications after surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer and to analyze the risk factors which seem to increase the risk of developing such adverse effects.