Pure Robotic-assisted Level IV Inferior Vena Cava Thrombectomy for Angiomyolipoma Without Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A First Report

Objective: To report the initial case of robotic-assisted level IV inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombectomy, with the supra- and infradiaphragmatic caval segments managed purely by a robotic-assisted technique.

Methods: A 67-year-old female presented with a 5.3 × 2.4 cm right renal tumor and a level IV IVC tumor thrombus, 16.5 cm in length, extending 1.5 cm into the right atrium. Through a robotic trans-abdominal approach, the infrarenal and retrohepatic IVC, left renal vein and right kidney were secured. Using a robotic transthoracic approach, the thrombus was milked out of the right atrium. The intrapericardial caval segment was secured and the right atrium was excluded. No cardiopulmonary bypass was used. A cavotomy was made at the right renal vein os and the tumor thrombus was extracted en bloc in a retrograde manner under transesophageal echocardiographic visualization.

Results: Total operative time was 211 minutes, including robotic docking, with 90 minutes spent on taking down intraabdominal adhesions. Caval clamp time was 13 minutes. Estimated blood loss was 100 mL. Postoperatively, the patient developed atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate (RVR) requiring diltiazem infusion (Clavien Grade II). Hospital stay was 5 days. There were no further complications. Pathology revealed an Angiomyolipoma and negative surgical margins.

Conclusion: This is the initial report of a purely robotic-assisted level IV IVC tumor thrombectomy. We used this technique for an angiomyolipoma with tumor thrombus extending 1.5cm into the right atrium, managing both the supra- and infradiaphragmatic caval segments robotically. This report further extends the field of robotic surgery.