Perioperative Outcomes for Radical Nephrectomy and Level III-IV Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombectomy in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma

This study examined the characteristics, intraoperative, and postoperative course of patients undergoing inferior vena cava tumor thrombectomy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.A single-center case series that reported demographic data and intraoperative and postoperative outcomes for patients with renal cell carcinoma undergoing inferior vena cava thrombectomy.This investigation was performed at a large quaternary referral center.Adult patients (age ≥18) admitted to the authors' hospital from January 1, 2005, to March 10, 2017, undergoing inferior vena cava thrombectomy for level III and IV renal cell carcinoma.No interventions were performed.Sixty-five patients who met the inclusion criteria were identified, with 31 patients diagnosed with level III and 34 with level IV renal cell carcinoma. Patients with level IV tumors were significantly more likely to have greater intraoperative blood loss, had longer surgical duration and hospital stays, and had more frequently required blood products, pressors, and cardiopulmonary bypass intraoperatively. Intraoperative transesophageal echo was more frequently used in level IV thrombectomy compared to level III (91.2% v 67.7%). Of patients with level IV thrombus, 41.2% developed postoperative atrial fibrillation compared to only 3.2% with level III thrombus. The 30-day mortality was 4.6% for both groups.Patients undergoing inferior vena cava tumor thrombectomy for renal cell carcinoma had more complex intraoperative and postoperative courses with level IV compared to level III tumor thrombus.