Difficulty in Diagnosis of Leiomyosarcoma of Infrahepatic Inferior Vena Cava

Abstract

Background: Leiomyosarcomas of inferior vena cava (IVC) are rare tumors that mostly are proposed as a primary malignancy of the IVC. The optimal treatment is completely resects the malignant lesion with preservation of venous return. According to the treated experience of one patient in our hospital, we present our opinions as below. Methods and Results: A 61-year-old woman underwent successful surgical treatment for a leiomyosarcoma with the method of infrahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC). A large tumor that was demonstrated in the Spiegel lobe liver with IVC tumor thrombus was imagined by tomography and magnetic resonance. The tumor was found from IVC, which was performed by suprahepatic and infrahepatic IVC occlusion with Satinskys clamp in the operation. The patient underwent a combined operation which is en bloc resection of the IVC tumor and lobotomy of the left lateral section of liver. Pathological examination confirmed that is primary leiomyosarcoma of the IVC. The patient had a normal live for nearly one year and no recurrence. Conclusion: It is difficult to distinguish leiomyosarcoma from a hepatic tumor. About two thirds of these patients were confirmed as the diagnosis of leiomyosarcomas only after laparotomy. The misdiagnosis to be considered as tumor arising from segment I of the liver with IVC tumor thrombus was lead to the tumor to predominant intra-luminal growth. Radical surgical en bloc resection is the mainly treatment for IVC leiomyosarcomas. Using suprahepatic IVC and infrahepatic IVC occlusion with Satinsky clamp, surgical management of an infrahepatic IVC leiomyosarcoma is a simple vascular surgical techniques.