Multidisciplinary treatment for renal cell carcinoma involving inferior vena cava

Objective To evaluate the surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus and the clinical significance of multidisciplinary treatment. Methods Two cases of renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava thrombus diagnosed by Doppler ultrasonography and CT were included in this retrospective analysis. The tumor thrombus was in level Ⅱ in one case and in level Ⅳ in the other. Coagulation test and complete blood count were done again before surgery. Human albumin, fibrinogen, prothrombin complex, plasma, platelet, UW and irrigating solution were prepared before the operation.Under general anesthesia, surgery was performed using abdomen inverted Y shaped incision. Right radical nephrectomy was finished by the urological surgeon; the vena cava was completely dissected from the renal vein level to the secondary porta of the liver by the hepatobiliary surgeon, the vena cava and the surrounding branch vein were blocked in the upper and lower vena cava tumor thrombus; tumor thrombus was removed completely by the vascular surgeon. In one case (patient with level Ⅳ thrombus ) where the tumour thrombus invaded the wall of the vena cava, the thrombus was found to be extending to the cavo-atrial junction but not into the right atrium. The left femoral venous-right atrial bypass was established, the cardiopulmonary bypass lasted for 241 mia, and the aorta was blocked for 18 min. Salvage autotransfusion was used during surgery, and the hepatic vein of the secondary liver porta was anastomosed to artificial vascular graft.The data for surgical indication, operation time, operative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay were analyzed. Results Right radical nephrectomy and inferior vena cava thrombectomy were performed successfully, and the two patients were discharged on the 15th and 27th day after surgery, respectively. The two patients were followed up for 1 and 16 months after surgery, respectively, and both survived without local recurrence and distant metastasis. Conclusion Radical nephrectomy and inferior vena cava thrombectomy is the preferred method for patients without metastasis, and multidisciplinary cooperation could shorten the operation time, reduce the tumor recurrence and increase the survival rate of patients. Key words: Carcinoma,renal cell; Vena cava,inferior; Tumor thrombus; Multidisciplinary treatment