Exenteration
Definition
An exenteration is a major operation during which all the contents of a body cavity are removed. Pelvic exenteration refers to the removal of all the organs and adjacent structures of the pelvis, and orbital exenteration refers to the removal of the entire contents of the ocular orbit, sometimes including the eyelids as well.
Purpose
The pelvis is the basin-shaped cavity that contains the bladder, rectum and reproductive organs. (The reproductive organs include the ovaries, uterus and cervix for women and the prostate for men.) Pelvic exenteration is performed to surgically remove cancer that involves these organs and that has not responded well to other types of treatment. For example, pelvic...
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