Surgical treatment of renal carcinoma with tumor thrombus extending into the right heart atrium

: Tumours thrombosis affecting the kidney or vena cava inferior in renal carcinoma is encountered in 4%-19% of the operated patients. Thrombosis reaching as far as the right atrium is rare. It is a very serious complication for the surgeon, but its does not imply a poorer prognosis of the disease nor shorter survival than tumours thrombosis of the inferior vena cava. Five-year survival is reported in 35-60% of the patients. Therefore radical surgery is fully indicated provided team collaboration of the urologist and cardiosurgeon is ensured. It involves removal of the tumours kidney with the tumours thrombus in an open heart and inferior vena cava, using extracorporeal circulation and arrested circulation with hypothermia. The authors present a successfully performed operation performed in a 63-year-old male [correction of female] patient.