USE OF A PERICARDIAL XENOGRAFT PATCH IN REPAIR OF RESECTED RETROHEPATIC VENA-CAVA

Complete surgical excision of malignant tissue is mandatory for the lo ng-term survival of patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal c arcinoma. Involvement of the inferior vena cava (IVC) may prevent this resection. The authors describe the case of a 64-year-old man who und erwent right hepatic lobectomy for metastases from colorectal carcinom a. Partial involvement of the IVC by tumour necessitated resection of a large portion of its wall. Venous continuity was re-established with a large bovine pericardial patch. At follow-up 2 years after the repa ir, the IVC was still patent and the vessel diameter was normal. On en hanced computed tomography, the patch was indistinguishable from the n ative vessel.