Técnicas de trasplante hepático usadas en el manejo del carcinoma renal de células claras con trombos en la cava inferior que ascienden hasta el diafragma: serie de casos Translated title: Liver transplant techniques used in the management of clear renal cell carcinoma with thrombi in the inferior vena cava that ascend to the diaphragm: case series

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC) poses a challenge to the surgeon given the operative difficulty, potential for massive hemorrhage, and possibility of tumor thromboemboli.

Renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus extension into the inferior vena cava (IVC) is rare. Surgical resection provides the only reasonable chance for cure, but the approach poses a challenge to the surgical team. We describe our technique to safely resect these tumors through a transabdominal incision that exposes the intrapericardial IVC and right atrium (RA) transdiaphragmatically, without the use of sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP), or deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). Clinical outcomes of these patients and techniques are reported. Between May 1997 and January 2009, 102 patients (mean age, 63 years) underwent resection of renal tumor extending into the IVC by techniques developed to avoid sternotomy and CBP. The tumor thrombus in 12 patients (13%) extended into the supradiaphragmatic IVC and RA. Complete resection was successful through the transabdominal approach without CBP in all patients. Mean operative time was 8 hours 15 minutes. Estimated blood loss was 2960 mL, and a mean of 9 U of blood was transfused. Two patients died postoperatively, 1 on day 4 of arrhythmia and 1 on day 22 of multisystem organ failure. All discharged patients were alive at the last follow-up. Three patients had tumor recurrence and have been referred for adjuvant therapy. In select cases, renal cell carcinoma extending into the IVC to the intrapericardial level and RA can be resected without sternotomy, CBP, or DHCA. 2010 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inferior vena cava tumor thrombus complicates radical nephrectomy. Various approaches have been used to deal with this problem, including venovenous and cardiopulmonary bypass. Applying organ transplant techniques enhances the exposure of urological tumors and may avoid bypass. A total of 26 patients underwent surgery by techniques developed to facilitate orthotopic liver transplantation. Of the patients 15 with renal cell carcinoma and an intracaval tumor thrombus underwent piggyback style mobilization of the liver off of the retrohepatic inferior vena cava to allow enhanced access and vascular control, while 11 underwent conventional mobilization of the liver and retrohepatic inferior vena cava en bloc to allow enhanced access to various renal, adrenal and retroperitoneal tumors. In the 11 patients surgery was successful with a median blood loss of 200 ml. Postoperative ileus in 1 case was the only complication. We resected 5 infrahepatic thrombi without complications and with a median blood loss of 500 ml. In 7 patients with a retrohepatic inferior vena caval thrombus median blood loss was 1,500 ml., including 1 who died postoperatively, presumably due to a massive pulmonary embolus. Caval atrial tumor thrombus in 3 cases was successfully removed via a completely abdominal approach and sternotomy in 2. Cardiopulmonary bypass with hypothermic circulatory arrest was required in 1 of these cases. Liver mobilization was helpful for managing difficult urological tumors. Patients with a retrohepatic or even suprahepatic inferior vena caval thrombus may be treated without sternotomy or thoracotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass.