Adolescent ; Adult ; Constriction, Pathologic ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Renal Veins ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Stents ; Ultrasonography

Nutcracker syndrome occurs when the left renal vein (LRV) is compressed between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta, and this syndrome is often characterized by venous hypertension and related pathologies. However, invasive studies such as phlebography and measuring the reno-caval pressure gradient should be performed to identify venous hypertension. Here we present a case of Nutcracker syndrome where the LRV and intra-renal varicosities appeared homogeneously hyperintense on magnetic resonance (MR) fast-spin-echo T2-weighted imaging, which suggested markedly stagnant intravenous blood flow and the presence of venous hypertension. The patient was diagnosed and treated without obtaining the reno-caval pressure gradient. The discomfort of the patient lessened after treatment. Furthermore, on follow-up evaluation, the LRV displayed a signal void, and this was suggestive of a restoration of the normal LRV flow and a decrease in LRV pressure.
Abdominal Pain/etiology ; Adult ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases/complications/*pathology/surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Renal Veins/*pathology/surgery ; Stents ; Syndrome ; Vascular Diseases/complications/*pathology/surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognosis of surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma with renal vein or inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.

METHODSBetween August 1994 and July 2004, 33 patients with renal cell carcinoma with renal vein or inferior vena cava tumor thrombus underwent radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy. The study population included 26 male and 7 female. The median age was 60 years (20 - 82). Level of tumor thrombus was renal vein in 15 patients, infrahepatic (level I) in 9, intrahepatic (level II) in 5, suprahepatic (level III) in 1, and right atrial extension (level IV) in 3. Survival analysis was made with Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTSTwenty-nine patients can be followed up. Fourteen patients were lost with a mean survival time of (16.4 +/- 2.9) months (1 - 42 months). Fifteen patients were survival with a mean follow-up of (17.3 +/- 4.6) months (3 - 67 months). One patient was lost on the second postoperative day. Three patients can not be followed up. The 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate was 16%. The mean survival time of patients with renal vein involvement [(49.9 +/- 9.8) months] versus level I [(16.7 +/- 1.9) months] was significantly different (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRadical nephrectomy plus thrombectomy is a valuable method for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma with renal vein or inferior vena cava involvement. Patients with renal vein tumor thrombus appear to have better survival compared to patients with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Embolectomy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Nephrectomy ; methods ; Prognosis ; Renal Veins ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; pathology ; surgery