PROSTHETIC REPLACEMENT OF THE INFERIOR VENA-CAVA AFTER RESECTION OF APHEOCHROMOCYTOMA

A 52-year-old man had an extensive right adrenal pheochromocytoma with invasion of the pararenal inferior vena cava (IVC). Tumor resection r equired en bloc resection of the infrahepatic IVC. The right kidney wa s not involved with tumor. Reconstruction of the IVC was performed wit h an externally supported, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft with reimplantation of the right renal veins into the prosthesis. Postoper ative patency of the IVC graft and renal veins was confirmed by venaca vography and color-flow duplex scanning. This latter technique has bee n used to document interval patency of the IVC graft 3, 6, and 12 mont hs after surgery.