WILMS-TUMOR INVOLVING THE INFERIOR VENA-CAVA - PREOPERATIVE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT

Neoplastic invasion of the inferior vena cava due to renal tumors (esp ecially Wilms' tumor) is uncommon in children. The tumor thrombus, acc ording to the aggressiveness of the original neoplasm, can extend in d iverse ways, obliterate the vascular lumen completely, and even reach the right atrium. The luminal thrombus might be accompanied by the inv olvement of the caval wall, which requires wide vascular resection. Th e purpose of this paper is to present our experience with 7 children, aged 18 months and 6 years, affected by caval invasion due to Wilms' t umor. Furthermore, the diagnostic techniques and the surgical treatmen t in simple caval thrombosis and in associated invasion of the caval w all are described. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.