Preventing Ovarian Cancer Through Opportunistic Salpingectomy at the Time of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and cost-effectiveness of opportunistic salpingectomy (OS-the removal of the fallopian tubes) at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (the removal of the gallbladder) to prevent ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality in females in Canada. OS can prevent the most common and lethal type of ovarian cancer, high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). OS during gynecologic surgery (hysterectomy or instead of tubal ligation) is safe and effective. However, rates of hysterectomies and tubal sterilization are decreasing. This research team aims to extend the prevention of ovarian cancer by expanding to offer OS during other surgeries in the abdomen, when patients are already undergoing a surgical procedure. This study will examine: 1) the feasibility of OS at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy; 2) the safety of OS at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy; 3) any health services consequences of offering OBS during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The hypothesis is that OS at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a feasible, safe, and cost-effective primary prevention strategy for ovarian cancer. It is also hypothesized that there will be 10-20 minutes of additional operating room time for completing OS, and that integrating the identified partners and knowledge users, as well as adding relevant knowledge users as the project progresses, will affect the rapid mobilization of our findings.