Duodenal obstruction in a 38-year-old: Case report of an unusual ovarian cancer presentation requiring a Whipple procedure

Since ovarian cancer typically spreads intraperitoneally or via lymphatics, a retroperitoneal duodenal obstruction is a rare presentation of ovarian cancer. Such upper gastrointestinal obstruction in a young patient is diagnostically challenging and surgically difficult to address. In this case report, we describe that in an interdisciplinary approach a Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy could be safely implemented into the interval debulking surgery to achieve complete cytoreduction. No postoperative complications were encountered. The surgical procedure was able to remove the upper gastrointestinal obstruction and thereby the need for a venting gastrostomy tube and total parenteral nutrition and thus provided good quality of life and additional lifetime.