Surgical management of complex malignant tumors of the inferior vena cava

Abstract

Objective To explore the surgical strategy and effects for treating complex malignant tumors of the inferior vena cava (IVC) or/and the tumors extending into right atrium/ventricle.Methods Between Dec 2004 and Jul 2008, eight patients underwent surgical resections, among those seven patients with tumors of IVC or the tumors extending into right atrium/ventricle were operated on under deep hypothermia with cardiopulmonary bypass( CPB), and one patient with recurrence of leiomyosarcoma of the IVC successfully underwent en bloc resection and caval reconstruction. The prosthetic graft was used for IVC reconstruction in two patients and vascular patch in the other two patients. Preoperative chest roentgenography, computed tomography, ultrasonography, or magnetic resonance imaging was used to exclude the presence of metastatic disease, to assess local resectability of the tumour and the extent of involvement and obstruction of the IVC. Results One patient died of liver failure postoperatively. The postoperative course was uneventful in other 7 patients. On follow-up two patients died 2 and 5 months later due to functional disorder of the liver. Three patients have been followed up for 14 - 24 months and were Key words: Neoplasms; Vascular surgical procedures; Vena cava, inferior; Heart atria; Extracorporeal circulation