Table 1

Surgical quality categories for staging of ovarian carcinomas (based on Trimbos et al. 2003)

Category of surgical quality
Staging procedures included
Optimal -
Inspection and palpation of all peritoneal surfaces; biopsies of any suspect lesion for metastasis; peritoneal washings; infra-colic omentectomy; blind biopsies of the right diaphragm and right and left para-colic gutter, pelvic side-walls of the ovarian fossa, of the bladder peritoneum and of the cul-de-sac and sampling of iliac and para-aortic lymph nodes
Modified -
Everything between optimal and minimal staging
Minimal -
Inspection and palpation of all peritoneal surfaces and the retroperitoneal area; biopsies of any suspect lesions for metastasis; peritoneal washing; infracolic omentectomy
Inadequate -
Less than minimal staging but at least careful inspection and palpation of all peritoneal surfaces and the retroperitoneal area; biopsies of any suspect lesion for metastasis

Münstedt and Franke World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2004 2:32   doi:10.1186/1477-7819-2-32