RETROPERITONEAL LYMPH NODE DISSECTION WITH CONCOMITANT IVC THROMBECTOMY, CAVAL WALL RESECTION, AND GRAFTING FOR METASTATIC NSGCT TARIQ HAKKY, TIMOTHY KIM, ALEJANDRO R. RODRIGUEZ, PAUL ARMSTRONG, DEVANAND MANGAR, PHILIPPE E. SPIESS Department of Urology (TH, TK, ARR) and Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (PA) University of South Florida, Department of Anesthesia (DM), Tampa General Hospital and Department of Genitourinary Oncology (PES), Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA ABSTRACT Introduction: The management of a post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal mass secondary to testicular cancer can present a surgical challenge when involving adjacent organs or major vascular structures. We present the first video of a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) with IVC (inferior vena cava) thrombectomy, caval wall resection resulting from metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell testis (NSGCT) cancer. Int Braz J Urol. 2012; 38 (Video #1): 135_136
Editorial Comment Full bilateral RPLND is the standard of care for patients with residual retroperitoneal masses post chemotherapy. With proper and meticulous surgical technique, the morbidity of the procedure is minimal and the in-field recurrences are negligible. In the following video, Hakki et al. elegantly demonstrates that resection of ALL residual masses within the retroperitoneum is important for long-term disease control even if it requires major vessel resection. IVC thrombus in the setting of metastatic testes cancer is rare and can develop either through retrograde spread of disease via the gonadal vein or direct invasion of the IVC wall by the retroperitoneal mass. The decision of IVC grafting is challenging as one has to balance the benefit of maintaining a patent IVC versus the high risk of clotting off the graft and lifelong anticoagulation in such a young patient. Take into account the above mentioned, the other reasonable option is to consider ligation of the IVC completely, particularly when a patient already have developed collaterals due to obstruction of the IVC with the tumor thrombus. Dr. Wassim Kassouf |