Lactate Is a Reliable Predictor of ICU Length of Stay Following Ultra-radical Ovarian Cancer Surgery

Background/Aim: With a greater proportion of women with advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) successfully undergoing radical cytoreductive surgery, the demand on peri-operative resources including intensive care (ICU) beds is also on the rise. Extended post-operative ICU length of stay (LOS) confers increased patient morbidity and mortality. Several variables associated with prolonged ICU LOS following AOC surgery have been identified. We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of serum lactate levels. Patients and Methods: All patients undergoing ultra-radical surgery for AOC in a large cancer centre over a 34-month period between 2018-2021 were identified via the institution tumour registry. Data were collected retrospectively via electronic care and operating records; biochemistry, radiology, and histopathology databases. Results: In total, 63 patients were identified. Elevated intra-operative serum lactate levels were associated with significantly longer length of ICU postoperative stay. Longer time for hyperlactaemia to normalise following surgery also conferred significantly longer ICU, high dependency and total hospital LOS. Greater blood loss, higher surgical complexity and peritoneal carcinomatosis score, and longer operating time were associated with higher - and persistently elevated - peri-operative lactate levels. Conclusion: Serum lactate in the context of ultra-radical surgery for AOC represents an accessible and inexpensive marker with potential to not only reliably predict LOS, but also to serve as a dynamic prompt for early targeted intervention. Early recognition and correction of hyperlactaemia following AOC may reduce ICU LOS limiting both the resource pressure and patient morbidity/mortality sequelae.