Background. Because of high surgical risk, invasion of the vena cava by malignant tumors is generally considered an absolute contraindication for surgery. However, radical surgical treatment may be beneficial for selected patients. This study was performed to evaluate our experiences with resection of the vena cava for malignant tumors. Patients and methods. A total of 41 patients underwent surgical treatment for malignant tumors invading the vena cava. Prosthetic repair was performed in 14 patients using a PTFE graft. Relevant outcome parameters were examined. Results. The operative mortality rate was 7%. Minor complications occurred in 13 patients. The graft patency rate was 86%, and there was no graft-related postoperative morbidity. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 76%, 33%, and 21%, respectively, with a median survival of 28 months. Complete resection (R0) and the absence of cardiopulmonary risk factors had a significant positive effect on survival. Conclusions. Radical resection of the vena cava is a feasible procedure in highly selected patients, with tolerable morbidity and mortality and acceptable survival rates, especially in patients with complete resection of the tumor.     «

Background. Because of high surgical risk, invasion of the vena cava by malignant tumors is generally considered an absolute contraindication for surgery. However, radical surgical treatment may be beneficial for selected patients. This study was performed to evaluate our experiences with resection of the vena cava for malignant tumors. Patients and methods. A total of 41 patients underwent surgical treatment for malignant tumors invading the vena cava. Prosthetic repair was performed in 14 pati...     »