Surgical Treatment of Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombus in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma

Radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombectomy remains the most effective therapeutic option in patients with renal cell carcinoma and IVC tumor thrombus. Cephalic extension of the thrombus is closely related to perioperative morbidity. We purposed to design a safe and successful surgical strategy through a review of our surgical experience and treatment results in 35 patients (male:female=28:7, mean age=56 yr [32-77]) who underwent IVC thrombectomy with radical nephrectomy between January 1997 and December 2006. The limit of tumor extension was level I in 10 patients (28.6%), level II in 17 (48.6%), and level III and IV in 4 patients each (11.4%). Liver mobilization with hepatic vascular exclusion was performed in 12 patients and cardiopulmonary bypass in 7. Thirty-two primary closures, 2 patch closures, and 1 graft interposition were performed. One patient underwent simultaneous pulmonary embolectomy because of an operative pulmonary embolism. There was no operative mortality, and the overall survival at 5-yr was 50.8%. Complete thrombus removal without tumor fragmentation under long venotomy on fully exposed involved IVC is recommended for successful result in a bloodless operative field. The applicability of liver mobilization, hepatic vascular exclusion, and cardiopulmonary bypass, can be determined by the level of thrombus.