Prof. Itzhak Avital, director of the Legacy Heritage Oncology Center and head of Department of Surgery A at Soroka: "As the only oncology center in the southern region, we are committed to our patients and make sure to implement the most innovative and advanced technologies, methods, and procedures available in the world."
A pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) procedure was recently performed for the first time at Soroka University Medical Center of the Clalit Group. In this minimally invasive surgery, anti-cancer drugs are infused laparoscopically directly into the abdominal cavity. Using a special device and with the guidance of a camera, the liquid drugs are turned into an aerosol. This method allows the chemotherapy drugs to effectively penetrate the peritoneal cavity that surrounds the tumor tissue in a way that allows a much lower dose than usual to be used and prevents ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity).
The infusion is not a substitute for the existing treatment and is carried out in addition to the chemotherapy treatment. It is mainly intended for patients suffering from malignant tumors in the colon, pancreas, stomach, liver, or appendix and for patients suffering from ovarian and uterine cancer that has metastasized to the abdominal cavity. The treatment is intended for oncology patients who have metastases in the peritoneal cavity and have not responded well to systemic chemotherapy or oncology patients who cannot undergo surgery for various reasons. These patients sometimes develop ascites or suffer from severe side effects or do not respond well to the usual treatment.
The innovative surgery was led by Prof. Itzhak Avital, director of the Legacy Heritage Oncology Center and head of Department of Surgery A at Soroka, together with Prof. Aviram Nissan and Dr. Almog Ben Yaacov, senior surgeons from Sheba Tel Hashomer Medical Center, who are qualified to teach the innovative PIPAC procedure of the, together with Dr. Izzeldin Abu Zeid, intern in the Department of Surgery A; Dr. Yotam Yattah, an anesthesiologist from Soroka's Anesthesiology Division; Yigal Dohano, anesthesia technician; and Shaharit Fox and Tal Carmel, OR nurses.
Prof. Itzhak Avital, director of the Legacy Heritage Oncology Center and Dr. Larry Norton Institute and head of Department of Surgery A in Soroka: "As the only oncology center in the southern region, we are committed to our patients and make sure to implement the most innovative and advanced technologies, methods, and procedures available in the world. I thank our distinguished guests Prof. Aviram Nissan and Dr. Almog Ben Yaakov for their support and cooperation.
It is important to know that the surgery is intended for certain patients and not for everyone who receives systemic chemotherapy The advantage of the surgery is mainly a significant improvement in patients' quality of life. The tumor stops progressing, ascites are significantly reduced, and the side effects are minor. In addition, the surgery and hospitalization are significantly shortened and the patient receives on average three to eight chemotherapy treatments that are administered every month and a half."
