All American Operation

A coinage from Dr. Brunchwig’s pelvic surgery service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institution (New York City) for radical surgery of a ‘frozen pelvis’, which consists of total pelvic exenteration with en bloc resection of the bladder, urethra, rectum, anus, and supporting muscles and ligaments, together with the reproductive organs. A urinary stoma and a colostomy stoma are created to collect waste
Indications It is performed when there is no opportunity to perform a less extensive operation, because of the location and size of the cancer, e.g., stage IV cancer of the uterine cervix, urinary bladder or colorectum