Some cancers of the abdominal or gastrointestinal region can be treated using a type of chemotherapy infusion called intraperitoneal. There are two types of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The first is used at the bedside in the hospital or in an outpatient facility. The second type is done in the operating room, after surgery to debulk (partial or total removal) a tumor.
Intraperitoneal is described as the space within the peritoneum. The peritoneum is the membrane (thin tissue) that lines the abdominal cavity and surrounds your abdominal organs. Chemotherapy can be administered directly into this space to treat cancers of the abdominal region such as gastric (stomach), appendiceal (appendix) and ovarian. The chemotherapy is warmed and infused directly into the intraperitoneal cavity.
