[Treatment of renal cancer extending supradiaphragmatically with fibrinolytics following surgery under extracorporeal circulation, hypothermia and circulatory arrest].

The authors report a case of right renal carcinoma with a supradiaphragmatic vena cava thrombus. The patient presented to the emergency ward with a severe pulmonary embolus managed by fibrinolytic treatment. After alcohol embolization of the tumor, the patient underwent a right radical nephrectomy with cavectomy. A large tumor extending to the heart was removed by cardiopulmonary bypass combined with hypothermia and cardiac arrest. The immediate postoperative course was satisfactory. Eighteen months later, a CT scan revealed a suprarenal growth. A cytological study was performed on a specimen obtained by percutaneous fine needle aspiration under CT guidance and revealed local a recurrence of the renal cell carcinoma. This was removed without any problems. Two years later, no pulmonary metastases have been noted despite, the fibrinolytic therapy.