There are several caval reconstruction techniques currently in use for orthotopic liver transplantation. These include caval replacement or the conventional technique, performed with or without venovenous bypass, pigg...There are several caval reconstruction techniques currently in use for orthotopic liver transplantation. These include caval replacement or the conventional technique, performed with or without venovenous bypass, piggyback technique with anastomosis with two or three hepatic veins with or without cavotomy and modifications of the piggyback technique including end-to-side and side-to-side cavocaval anastomosis. There are few randomized controlled trials comparing the use of these techniques and our knowledge of their comparability is based on a few multi- and many single-center retrospective and prospective reviews. Although there are advantages and disadvantages for each technique, it is advisable that the surgeon perform the technique with which they have the most the experience and at which they are the most skilled as excellent outcomes can be obtained with any of the caval reconstruction options discussed.展开更多
BACKGROUND Recently,as a possible therapy resolving solution,pentadecapeptide BPC 157 therapy,has been used in alleviating various vascular occlusion disturbances.BPC 157 was previously reviewed as novel mediator of R...BACKGROUND Recently,as a possible therapy resolving solution,pentadecapeptide BPC 157 therapy,has been used in alleviating various vascular occlusion disturbances.BPC 157 was previously reviewed as novel mediator of Robert cytoprotection and endothelium protection in the stomach,and gut-brain axis,beneficial therapy in gastrointestinal tract,with particular reference to vascular recruitment,ulcerative colitis and tumor cachexia,and other tissues healing.Here we raised new hypothesis about BPC 157 therapy in the Budd-Chiari syndrome in rats,rapid bypassing of the suprahepatic inferior caval vein occlusion,and rats recovery with the active and effective pharmacotherapy treatment.AIM To investigate Budd-Chiari syndrome model(inferior caval vein suprahepatic occlusion)resolution,since BPC 157 resolves various rat vascular occlusion.METHODS We assessed the activated bypassing pathways between the inferior and superior caval veins and portocaval shunt,counteracted caval/portal hypertension,aortal hypotension,venous/arterial thrombosis,electrocardiogram disturbances,liver and gastrointestinal lesions(i.e.,stomach and duodenum hemorrhages,in particular,congestion).Rats with suprahepatic occlusion of the inferior vena cava by ligation were medicated at 1 min,15 min,24 h,or 48 h post-ligation.Medication consisted of 10μg/kg BPC 157,10 ng BPC 157 or 5 m L/kg saline,administered once as an abdominal bath or intragastric application.Gross and microscopic observations were made,in addition to assessments of electrical activity of the heart(electrocardiogram),portal and caval hypertension,aortal hypotension,thrombosis,hepatomegaly,splenomegaly and venography.Furthermore,levels of nitric oxide,malondialdehyde in the liver and serum enzymes were determined.RESULTS BPC 157 counteracted increased P wave amplitude,tachycardia and ST-elevation,i.e.,right heart failure from acute thrombotic coronary occlusion.The bypassing pathway of the inferior vena cava-azygos(hemiazygos)vein-superior vena cava and portocaval shunt occurred rapidly.Even with severe caval portal hypertension,BPC 157 antagonized portal and caval hypertension and aortal hypotension,and also reduced refractory ascites.Thrombosis of portal vein tributaries,inferior vena cava,and hepatic and coronary arteries was attenuated.In addition,there was reduced pathology of the lungs(severe capillary congestion)and liver(dilated central veins and terminal portal venules),decreased intestine hemorrhagic lesions(substantial capillary congestion,submucosal edema and architecture loss),and increased liver and spleen weight.During the period of ligation,nitric oxide-and malondialdehyde-levels in the liver remained within normal healthy values,and increases in serum enzymes were markedly reduced.CONCLUSION BPC 157 counteracts Budd Chiari syndrome in rats.展开更多
BACKGROUND Caval vein thrombosis after hepatectomy is rare, although it increases mortality and morbidity. The evolution of this thrombosis into a septic thrombophlebitis responsible for persistent septicaemia after a...BACKGROUND Caval vein thrombosis after hepatectomy is rare, although it increases mortality and morbidity. The evolution of this thrombosis into a septic thrombophlebitis responsible for persistent septicaemia after a hepatectomy has not been reported to date in the literature. We here report the management of a 54-year-old woman operated for a peripheral cholangiocarcinoma who developed a suppurated thrombophlebitis of the vena cava following a hepatectomy.CASE SUMMARY This patient was operated by left lobectomy extended to segment V with bile duct resection and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. After the surgery, she developed Streptococcus anginosus, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecium bacteraemias, as well as Candida albicans fungemia. A computed tomography scan revealed a bilioma which was percutaneously drained. Despite adequate antibiotic therapy,the patient's condition remained septic. A diagnosis of septic thrombophlebitis of the vena cava was made on post-operative day 25. The patient was then operated again for a surgical thrombectomy and complete caval reconstruction with a parietal peritoneum tube graft. Use of the peritoneum as a vascular graft is an inexpensive technique, it is readily and rapidly available, and it allows caval replacement in a septic area. Septic thrombophlebitis of the vena cava after hepatectomy has not been described previously and it warrants being added to the spectrum of potential complications of this procedure.CONCLUSION Septic thrombophlebitis of the vena cava was successfully treated with antibiotic and anticoagulation treatments, prompt surgical thrombectomy and caval reconstruction.展开更多
Knowledge about the connective-tissue framework of the liver is not systematized,the terminology is inconsistent and some perspectives on the construction of the hepatic matrix components are contradictory.In addition...Knowledge about the connective-tissue framework of the liver is not systematized,the terminology is inconsistent and some perspectives on the construction of the hepatic matrix components are contradictory.In addition,until the last two decades of the 20th century,the connective-tissue sheaths of the portal tracts and the hepatic veins were considered to be independent from each other in the liver and that they do not make contact with each other.The results of the research carried out by Professor Shalva Toidze and his colleagues started in the 1970s in the Department of Operative Surgery and Topographic Anatomy at the Tbilisi State Medical Institute have changed this perception.In particular,Chanukvadze I showed that in some regions where they intersect with each other,the connective tissue sheaths of the large portal complexes and hepatic veins fuse.The areas of such fusion are called porta-caval fibrous connections(PCFCs).This opinion review aims to promote a systematic understanding of the hepatic connective-tissue skeleton and to demonstrate the hitherto underappreciated PCFC as a genuine structure with high biological and clinical significance.The components of the liver connective-tissue framework—the capsules,plates,sheaths,covers—are described,and their intercommunication is discussed.The analysis of the essence of the PCFC and a description of its various forms are provided.It is also mentioned that analogs of different forms of PCFC are found in different mammals.展开更多
In recent years, the Cavally River has been subject to multiple activities, <span style="font-family:;" "="">including the construction of diversion channels and a bridge that makes it v...In recent years, the Cavally River has been subject to multiple activities, <span style="font-family:;" "="">including the construction of diversion channels and a bridge that makes it vulnerable to flooding. In order to assess the impact of these hydraulic structures on the <span>river hydrodynamic functioning, a 1D-2D model was realized. The</span> implementation of the 1D-2D model consisted </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">of </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">first </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">running</span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">the 1D model, then the 2D model, and finally in coupling them. The 1D-2D model was designed with <span>the 1988 flood hydrograph, a Manning’s coefficient of 0.052 m<sup>1/3</sup>/s for the </span>minor bed and 0.06 m<sup>1/3</sup>/s for the major bed. The results of the hydraulic model show that the velocities are almost identical to those of the Cavally in natural operation. The values of the velocities are included between 0.4 m/s and 1.3 m/s at the level of the minor bed of the river and between 0.06 m/s and 0.71 m/s at the level of the floodplains. The average water level for flood propagation is 262.37 ± 0.44 m before construction of the structures and 262.23 ± <span>0.85 m after construction of the structures. The 0.41 m reduction in water</span> level due to the diversion canal and bridge is negligible compared to the total fluctuations of the Cavally River, which vary from 6 to 7 m over the year.</span>展开更多
Introduction: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) is an adjunctive surgical technique that can be employed for the resection of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with venou...Introduction: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) is an adjunctive surgical technique that can be employed for the resection of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with venous thrombus extension superior to the level of the hepatic veins. Median Sternotomy (MS) or Minimal Access (MA) incisions may be used to establish CPB during the resection of these extensive tumors. We review our experience with both incisional approaches and compareoperative details, perioperative complications, and recurrence free survival. Materials and Methods: From 1986 to 2012, 70 radical nephrectomies with concomitant inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombectomies were performed at our institution using MS (23 patients) and MA (47 patients) techniques. Preoperative patient characteristics, pathologic data, and organ specific postoperative complications and follow-up data were compared between groups. Estimates of overall and recurrence-free survival were constructed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using log-rank testing. Results: There were no significant differences with respect to patient demographics or preoperative comorbid conditions between the MA and MS groups. The MA group showed a significant reduction (p 0.05) in the duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation, length of stay, operative time, and number of blood transfusions compared to MS patients. Overall and organ-system specific complications demonstrated a decreased incidence of wound infection (37.9% v. 12.5%, p = 0.0135) and sepsis (14.3% v. 0%, p = 0.0137) in patients undergoing MA approach. Perioperative mortality was significantly reduced in the MA group (30.4% v. 8.5% p = 0.0179). Recurrence-free survival in the MS group was 0.59 years and 1.2 years in the MA group (p = 0.06). Conclusions: Minimal access surgical approaches for CPB and DHCA during the resection of RCC with extensive tumor thrombus provide similar oncologic control with decreased duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay and infection related complications. Our findings suggest that MA techniques provide significant advantages over MS.展开更多
Recurrent thrombotic occlusions are one major problem in patients with thrombosis of the inferior vena cava. Due to this, we report a new surgical strategy for the construction of aorto-caval (mesenteric-caval) fistul...Recurrent thrombotic occlusions are one major problem in patients with thrombosis of the inferior vena cava. Due to this, we report a new surgical strategy for the construction of aorto-caval (mesenteric-caval) fistula in a patient with homozygous Antithrombin III (ATIII)-Deficiency. The patient survived postoperatively and only surgical complications grade I and II (Clavien-Dindo classification) were reported after short-term and one year follow-up. After one year, the CT-angiography did not show any caval thrombosis or stenosis and no restriction or occlusion of the fistula. Thus, the mesenteric-caval fistula could be safely performed and resulted in a satisfactory patency.展开更多
On the Cavally River, located on the border between C?te d’Ivoire and Liberia, several hydraulic structures such as bridges and diversion channels are planned to be made in recent years in the operating perimeter of ...On the Cavally River, located on the border between C?te d’Ivoire and Liberia, several hydraulic structures such as bridges and diversion channels are planned to be made in recent years in the operating perimeter of the Ity mining company. A 1D-2D hydraulic model was developed to design a diversion channel to cut a meander of the Cavally River in order to ensure hydraulic operation similar to the initial conditions of the river (water levels, flow and velocities). This model was designed with a flow rate of 240 m3/s and a Manning coefficient of 0.052 m1/3·s-1 for the minor bed and 0.06 m1/3·s-1 for the major bed. The results from the hydraulic model show that the hydraulic conditions (water levels, velocities) in the channel before and after the diversion remain almost like those of the Cavally River.展开更多
Water resources management is nowadays a significant stake for the world. However, missing or bad quality of the hydro-climatic historical data available of the studied area makes sometimes hydrological studies diffic...Water resources management is nowadays a significant stake for the world. However, missing or bad quality of the hydro-climatic historical data available of the studied area makes sometimes hydrological studies difficult. Generally, conceptual rain-flow models are designed to bring an appropriate answer with the correction of gaps and prediction of the flows. Historical hydro-climatic data of the Ity station, located on Cavally River, contain gaps which must be bridged. This study aims to establish a rainfall-runoff model through artificial neural networks for filling the gaps into the flow data series of the hydrometric station of Ity on the watershed of Cavally River. A multi-layer perceptron of feed forwards with two entries (monthly average rain and evapotranspiration) and an exit (flows) was established with flow evapotranspiration data. Comparison of the criteria of performance of the various architectures of the neural network model showed that architecture 2-3-1 gives best results. This architecture provides Nash coefficients of 75.79% and correlation linear coefficient of 95.64% for the calibration and Nash coefficients of 73.32% and correlation linear coefficient of 98.33% for the validation. The correlations between simulated flows and observed flows are strong. The correlation coefficients are 83.89% and 83.08% respectively for the calibration and validation.展开更多
The incidence of the inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus is reported to be 4%-10% in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Tumor thrombus may extend through to the right atrium. Management of patients with...The incidence of the inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus is reported to be 4%-10% in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Tumor thrombus may extend through to the right atrium. Management of patients with level Ⅲ/Ⅳ tumor thrombus is usually difficult. We report two cases of level Ⅳ thrombus in our hospital in 2002 and 2004.展开更多
文摘There are several caval reconstruction techniques currently in use for orthotopic liver transplantation. These include caval replacement or the conventional technique, performed with or without venovenous bypass, piggyback technique with anastomosis with two or three hepatic veins with or without cavotomy and modifications of the piggyback technique including end-to-side and side-to-side cavocaval anastomosis. There are few randomized controlled trials comparing the use of these techniques and our knowledge of their comparability is based on a few multi- and many single-center retrospective and prospective reviews. Although there are advantages and disadvantages for each technique, it is advisable that the surgeon perform the technique with which they have the most the experience and at which they are the most skilled as excellent outcomes can be obtained with any of the caval reconstruction options discussed.
文摘BACKGROUND Recently,as a possible therapy resolving solution,pentadecapeptide BPC 157 therapy,has been used in alleviating various vascular occlusion disturbances.BPC 157 was previously reviewed as novel mediator of Robert cytoprotection and endothelium protection in the stomach,and gut-brain axis,beneficial therapy in gastrointestinal tract,with particular reference to vascular recruitment,ulcerative colitis and tumor cachexia,and other tissues healing.Here we raised new hypothesis about BPC 157 therapy in the Budd-Chiari syndrome in rats,rapid bypassing of the suprahepatic inferior caval vein occlusion,and rats recovery with the active and effective pharmacotherapy treatment.AIM To investigate Budd-Chiari syndrome model(inferior caval vein suprahepatic occlusion)resolution,since BPC 157 resolves various rat vascular occlusion.METHODS We assessed the activated bypassing pathways between the inferior and superior caval veins and portocaval shunt,counteracted caval/portal hypertension,aortal hypotension,venous/arterial thrombosis,electrocardiogram disturbances,liver and gastrointestinal lesions(i.e.,stomach and duodenum hemorrhages,in particular,congestion).Rats with suprahepatic occlusion of the inferior vena cava by ligation were medicated at 1 min,15 min,24 h,or 48 h post-ligation.Medication consisted of 10μg/kg BPC 157,10 ng BPC 157 or 5 m L/kg saline,administered once as an abdominal bath or intragastric application.Gross and microscopic observations were made,in addition to assessments of electrical activity of the heart(electrocardiogram),portal and caval hypertension,aortal hypotension,thrombosis,hepatomegaly,splenomegaly and venography.Furthermore,levels of nitric oxide,malondialdehyde in the liver and serum enzymes were determined.RESULTS BPC 157 counteracted increased P wave amplitude,tachycardia and ST-elevation,i.e.,right heart failure from acute thrombotic coronary occlusion.The bypassing pathway of the inferior vena cava-azygos(hemiazygos)vein-superior vena cava and portocaval shunt occurred rapidly.Even with severe caval portal hypertension,BPC 157 antagonized portal and caval hypertension and aortal hypotension,and also reduced refractory ascites.Thrombosis of portal vein tributaries,inferior vena cava,and hepatic and coronary arteries was attenuated.In addition,there was reduced pathology of the lungs(severe capillary congestion)and liver(dilated central veins and terminal portal venules),decreased intestine hemorrhagic lesions(substantial capillary congestion,submucosal edema and architecture loss),and increased liver and spleen weight.During the period of ligation,nitric oxide-and malondialdehyde-levels in the liver remained within normal healthy values,and increases in serum enzymes were markedly reduced.CONCLUSION BPC 157 counteracts Budd Chiari syndrome in rats.
文摘BACKGROUND Caval vein thrombosis after hepatectomy is rare, although it increases mortality and morbidity. The evolution of this thrombosis into a septic thrombophlebitis responsible for persistent septicaemia after a hepatectomy has not been reported to date in the literature. We here report the management of a 54-year-old woman operated for a peripheral cholangiocarcinoma who developed a suppurated thrombophlebitis of the vena cava following a hepatectomy.CASE SUMMARY This patient was operated by left lobectomy extended to segment V with bile duct resection and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. After the surgery, she developed Streptococcus anginosus, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecium bacteraemias, as well as Candida albicans fungemia. A computed tomography scan revealed a bilioma which was percutaneously drained. Despite adequate antibiotic therapy,the patient's condition remained septic. A diagnosis of septic thrombophlebitis of the vena cava was made on post-operative day 25. The patient was then operated again for a surgical thrombectomy and complete caval reconstruction with a parietal peritoneum tube graft. Use of the peritoneum as a vascular graft is an inexpensive technique, it is readily and rapidly available, and it allows caval replacement in a septic area. Septic thrombophlebitis of the vena cava after hepatectomy has not been described previously and it warrants being added to the spectrum of potential complications of this procedure.CONCLUSION Septic thrombophlebitis of the vena cava was successfully treated with antibiotic and anticoagulation treatments, prompt surgical thrombectomy and caval reconstruction.
文摘Knowledge about the connective-tissue framework of the liver is not systematized,the terminology is inconsistent and some perspectives on the construction of the hepatic matrix components are contradictory.In addition,until the last two decades of the 20th century,the connective-tissue sheaths of the portal tracts and the hepatic veins were considered to be independent from each other in the liver and that they do not make contact with each other.The results of the research carried out by Professor Shalva Toidze and his colleagues started in the 1970s in the Department of Operative Surgery and Topographic Anatomy at the Tbilisi State Medical Institute have changed this perception.In particular,Chanukvadze I showed that in some regions where they intersect with each other,the connective tissue sheaths of the large portal complexes and hepatic veins fuse.The areas of such fusion are called porta-caval fibrous connections(PCFCs).This opinion review aims to promote a systematic understanding of the hepatic connective-tissue skeleton and to demonstrate the hitherto underappreciated PCFC as a genuine structure with high biological and clinical significance.The components of the liver connective-tissue framework—the capsules,plates,sheaths,covers—are described,and their intercommunication is discussed.The analysis of the essence of the PCFC and a description of its various forms are provided.It is also mentioned that analogs of different forms of PCFC are found in different mammals.
文摘In recent years, the Cavally River has been subject to multiple activities, <span style="font-family:;" "="">including the construction of diversion channels and a bridge that makes it vulnerable to flooding. In order to assess the impact of these hydraulic structures on the <span>river hydrodynamic functioning, a 1D-2D model was realized. The</span> implementation of the 1D-2D model consisted </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">of </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">first </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">running</span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span><span style="font-family:;" "="">the 1D model, then the 2D model, and finally in coupling them. The 1D-2D model was designed with <span>the 1988 flood hydrograph, a Manning’s coefficient of 0.052 m<sup>1/3</sup>/s for the </span>minor bed and 0.06 m<sup>1/3</sup>/s for the major bed. The results of the hydraulic model show that the velocities are almost identical to those of the Cavally in natural operation. The values of the velocities are included between 0.4 m/s and 1.3 m/s at the level of the minor bed of the river and between 0.06 m/s and 0.71 m/s at the level of the floodplains. The average water level for flood propagation is 262.37 ± 0.44 m before construction of the structures and 262.23 ± <span>0.85 m after construction of the structures. The 0.41 m reduction in water</span> level due to the diversion canal and bridge is negligible compared to the total fluctuations of the Cavally River, which vary from 6 to 7 m over the year.</span>
文摘Introduction: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) is an adjunctive surgical technique that can be employed for the resection of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with venous thrombus extension superior to the level of the hepatic veins. Median Sternotomy (MS) or Minimal Access (MA) incisions may be used to establish CPB during the resection of these extensive tumors. We review our experience with both incisional approaches and compareoperative details, perioperative complications, and recurrence free survival. Materials and Methods: From 1986 to 2012, 70 radical nephrectomies with concomitant inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombectomies were performed at our institution using MS (23 patients) and MA (47 patients) techniques. Preoperative patient characteristics, pathologic data, and organ specific postoperative complications and follow-up data were compared between groups. Estimates of overall and recurrence-free survival were constructed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using log-rank testing. Results: There were no significant differences with respect to patient demographics or preoperative comorbid conditions between the MA and MS groups. The MA group showed a significant reduction (p 0.05) in the duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation, length of stay, operative time, and number of blood transfusions compared to MS patients. Overall and organ-system specific complications demonstrated a decreased incidence of wound infection (37.9% v. 12.5%, p = 0.0135) and sepsis (14.3% v. 0%, p = 0.0137) in patients undergoing MA approach. Perioperative mortality was significantly reduced in the MA group (30.4% v. 8.5% p = 0.0179). Recurrence-free survival in the MS group was 0.59 years and 1.2 years in the MA group (p = 0.06). Conclusions: Minimal access surgical approaches for CPB and DHCA during the resection of RCC with extensive tumor thrombus provide similar oncologic control with decreased duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay and infection related complications. Our findings suggest that MA techniques provide significant advantages over MS.
文摘Recurrent thrombotic occlusions are one major problem in patients with thrombosis of the inferior vena cava. Due to this, we report a new surgical strategy for the construction of aorto-caval (mesenteric-caval) fistula in a patient with homozygous Antithrombin III (ATIII)-Deficiency. The patient survived postoperatively and only surgical complications grade I and II (Clavien-Dindo classification) were reported after short-term and one year follow-up. After one year, the CT-angiography did not show any caval thrombosis or stenosis and no restriction or occlusion of the fistula. Thus, the mesenteric-caval fistula could be safely performed and resulted in a satisfactory patency.
基金the financial and logistical support of the Ity Mining Company(SMI).
文摘On the Cavally River, located on the border between C?te d’Ivoire and Liberia, several hydraulic structures such as bridges and diversion channels are planned to be made in recent years in the operating perimeter of the Ity mining company. A 1D-2D hydraulic model was developed to design a diversion channel to cut a meander of the Cavally River in order to ensure hydraulic operation similar to the initial conditions of the river (water levels, flow and velocities). This model was designed with a flow rate of 240 m3/s and a Manning coefficient of 0.052 m1/3·s-1 for the minor bed and 0.06 m1/3·s-1 for the major bed. The results from the hydraulic model show that the hydraulic conditions (water levels, velocities) in the channel before and after the diversion remain almost like those of the Cavally River.
文摘Water resources management is nowadays a significant stake for the world. However, missing or bad quality of the hydro-climatic historical data available of the studied area makes sometimes hydrological studies difficult. Generally, conceptual rain-flow models are designed to bring an appropriate answer with the correction of gaps and prediction of the flows. Historical hydro-climatic data of the Ity station, located on Cavally River, contain gaps which must be bridged. This study aims to establish a rainfall-runoff model through artificial neural networks for filling the gaps into the flow data series of the hydrometric station of Ity on the watershed of Cavally River. A multi-layer perceptron of feed forwards with two entries (monthly average rain and evapotranspiration) and an exit (flows) was established with flow evapotranspiration data. Comparison of the criteria of performance of the various architectures of the neural network model showed that architecture 2-3-1 gives best results. This architecture provides Nash coefficients of 75.79% and correlation linear coefficient of 95.64% for the calibration and Nash coefficients of 73.32% and correlation linear coefficient of 98.33% for the validation. The correlations between simulated flows and observed flows are strong. The correlation coefficients are 83.89% and 83.08% respectively for the calibration and validation.
文摘The incidence of the inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus is reported to be 4%-10% in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Tumor thrombus may extend through to the right atrium. Management of patients with level Ⅲ/Ⅳ tumor thrombus is usually difficult. We report two cases of level Ⅳ thrombus in our hospital in 2002 and 2004.