RCC thrombus surgery

Hi,

My mom has RCC IV with thrombus in IVC vessel. She has metts in lung too. We were told it's better for her to have a surgery to remove the big tumor in kidney and the thrombus in the vessel to heart. We understand from the cardiac surgeon it's a high risk operation.  We don't know what to do. We worry about the risk and the reoccurance after operation.

Does anyone has the similar case or operation like my mom? Please kindly let me know or give your suggestions about your experience.

Thanks a lot,

Linda

While it is high risk, we were told there is a "screen" that can be placed in the VenaCava to catch the thrombus if it detaches.  It prevents it from moving to the heart.  Ask your doc about that.  Fortunately for us, the growth was wrapped around the outside and not actually in the the IVC.

 I don't know where you are being treated, but we were sent to UCLA in CA, which is close to us.  The surgeons there were phenomenal.

Hope this helps some,

Wynette

Wynette,

Thanks for your reply. Were you put on heart lung machine during the surgery? I guess your thrombus is low enough not have to.

Do you have cardiac surgeon in your operation or just a urologist surgeon?

Thanks for your information.

Linda

I had my right kidney removed 10/06.  The tumor had grown into my vena cava and blood clots formed below it.  The blood clots would not dissolve so my vena cava was tied off.

I had a cardiac surgeon do the vena cava and I was on bypass.  The urologist removed my kidney.  I did not have any mets.

The surgeries are not easy.  Recovery took about 2 months but I have not had any reoccurance of the cancer.