Pyogenic liver abscesses in liver transplant recipients versus non-transplant population. Outcome and risk factors of patient survival.

Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is a life-threatening infection in both liver transplant (LT) and non-LT patients. Several risk factors, such as benign and malignant hepatopancreatobiliary diseases and colorectal tumors have been associated with PLA in the non-LT population, and hepatic artery stricture/thrombosis, biliary stricture, and hepaticojejunostomy in the LT patients. The objective of this study is to compare the outcomes of patients with PLA in LT and non-LT patients and to determine the risk factors associated with patient survival. From January 2000 to November 2020, a total of 296 adult patients were diagnosed of PLA in our institution, of whom 26 patients had previously undergone liver transplantation (LTA group), whereas 263 patients corresponded to the non-LTA population. Seven patients with PLA who had undergone previous kidney transplantation were excluded from this retrospective study. Twenty-six patients out of 1503 LT developed PLA (incidence of 1.7%). Median age was significantly higher in non-LTA patients (p = .001). No significant differences were observed in therapy. PLA recurrence was significantly higher in LTA than in non-LTA (34.6% vs. 14.8%; p = .008). In-hospital mortality was greater in the LT group than in the non-LT group (19.2% vs. 9.1% p = .10) and was identified in multivariable analysis as a risk factor for mortality (p = .027). Mortality rate during follow-up did not show significant differences between the groups: 34.6% in LTA patients versus 26.2% in non-LTA patients (p = .10). The most common causes of mortality during follow-up were malignancies, Covid-19 infection, and neurologic disease. 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial patient survival rates were 87.0%, 64.1%, and 50.4%, respectively, in patients of LTA group, and 84.5%, 66.5%, and 51.0%, respectively, in patients with liver abscesses in non-LTA population (p = .53). In conclusion, LT was a risk factor for in hospital mortality, but not during long-term follow-up.

Risk factors indicating the need for surgical therapy in patients with pyogenic liver abscesses.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous drainage (PD) and antibiotics are the therapy of choice (non-surgical therapy [non-ST]) for pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA), reserving surgical therapy (ST) for PD failure. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify risk factors that indicate the need for ST. METHODS: We reviewed the medical charts of all of our institution's adult patients with a diagnosis of PLA between January 2000 and November 2020. A series of 296 patients with PLA was divided into two groups according to the therapy used: ST (n = 41 patients) and non-ST (n = 255). A comparison between groups was performed. RESULTS: The overall median age was 68 years. Demographics, clinical history, underlying pathology, and laboratory variables were similar in both groups, except for the duration of PLA symptoms < 10 days and leukocyte count which were significantly higher in the ST group. The in-hospital mortality rate in the ST group was 12.2% vs. 10.2% in the non-ST group (p = 0.783), with biliary sepsis and tumor-related abscesses as the most frequent causes of death. Hospital stay and PLA recurrence were statistically insignificant between groups. One-year actuarial patient survival was 80.2% in the ST group vs. 84.6% in the non-ST (p = 0.625) group. The presence of underlying biliary disease, intra-abdominal tumor, and duration of symptoms for less than 10 days on presentation comprised the risk factors that indicated the need to perform ST. CONCLUSIONS: There is little evidence regarding the decision to perform ST, but according to this study, the presence of underlying biliary disease or an intra-abdominal tumor and the duration of PLA symptoms < 10 days upon presentation are risk factors that should sway the surgeons to perform ST instead of PD.

Capsule endoscopy diagnosis of gastrointestinal melanoma.

Melanoma is a cancer that frequently metastasises to the small bowel, but most cases are asymptomatic and are diagnosed postmortem. Therefore, CT and PET CT cannot detect all lesions and conventional endoscopic study only detects 10-20% of lesions. In this study, we present the case of a 68-year-old patient with a history of cutaneous melanoma and a diagnosis of intestinal melanoma. Thanks to capsule endoscopy, two lesions compatible with cutaneous melanoma metastasis to the small bowel were detected, allowing a much more effective surgical planning. Capsule endoscopy is an innovative technique that improves preoperative diagnosis, as it is able to detect bowel segments that cannot be inspected by conventional endoscopy. It also has a better resolution than conventional CT, improving sensitivity in the detection of lesions.

Expanding donor age in liver transplantation using liver grafts from nonagenarian donors.

INTRODUCTION: Satisfactory outcomes in a series of liver transplantations (LT) with octogenarian liver grafts have been reported, as well as several cases of LT using nonagenarian liver grafts with short follow-up. METHODS: From October 2013 to December 2019, we performed 426 LT. Six LTs used nonagenarian livers (case group) and 49 used octogenarian livers (control group). A comparative analysis was performed between groups. Median donor age was significantly higher in the nonagenarian group than in the octogenarian group (90.6 years versus 83.4 years; (P < .001). There was a significant difference in LT indications (P = .026) between the groups, but not in perioperative recipient variables, morbidity, or mortality. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rates were 67.7% in the recipients of nonagenarian livers and 85.7%, 78.0%, and 74.4%, respectively, in the recipients of octogenarian livers (P = .631). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rates were 66.7% in the recipients of nonagenarian livers and 81.3%, 73.8%, and 70.3%, respectively, in the recipients of octogenarian livers (P = .745). CONCLUSIONS: The results of LT with nonagenarian liver grafts are not significantly different from those obtained with octogenarian donors, taking into consideration the small sample size and careful selection of donors and adequate donor-recipient matching.

New technique for abdominal wall procurement. Initial experience.

Difficulty in obtaining adequate abdominal wall closure due to loss of the abdominal domain is a frequent complication of multivisceral, isolated intestinal transplantation and in some cases of liver transplantation. Various methods for primary closure have been proposed, including the use of synthetic and biological meshes, as well as full-thickness abdominal wall and non-vascularized rectus fascia grafts. We describe a novel technique for abdominal wall procurement in which the graft is perfused synchronously with the abdominal organs and can be transplanted as a full-thickness wall or as a non-vascularized rectus fascia graft. We performed six transplants of non-vascularized rectus fascia in three intestinal transplants, one multivisceral transplant, and two liver transplants. The size of the covered abdominal wall defects ranged from 17 cm × 7 cm to 25 cm × 20 cm. Only one patient developed graft infection secondary to enterocutaneous fistula requiring surgical correction and removal of the fascia graft. This patient, as well as two other patients, died due to sepsis. Our procurement technique allows removal of the rectus fascia graft to cover the abdominal wall defect, providing a feasible solution for treatment of abdominal wall defects in recipients after abdominal organ transplantation.

Short series regarding uncontrolled donor after cardiac death: A call for caution.

The authors did not receive any funding for this work.

Effects of everolimus plus minimized tacrolimus on kidney function in liver transplantation: REDUCE, a prospective, randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: reduction in calcineurin inhibitor levels is considered crucial to decrease the incidence of kidney dysfunction in liver transplant (LT) recipients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and impact of everolimus plus reduced tacrolimus (EVR + rTAC) vs. mycophenolate mofetil plus tacrolimus (MMF + TAC) on kidney function in LT recipients from Spain. METHODS: the REDUCE study was a 52-week, multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label, phase 3b study in de novo LT recipients. Eligible patients were randomized (1:1) 28 days post-transplantation to receive EVR + rTAC (TAC levels ≤ 5 ng/mL) or to continue with MMF + TAC (TAC levels = 6-10 ng/mL). Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), clinical benefit in renal function, and safety were evaluated. RESULTS: in the EVR + rTAC group (n = 105), eGFR increased from randomization to week 52 (82.2 [28.5] mL/min/1.73 m2 to 86.1 [27.9] mL/min/1.73 m2) whereas it decreased in the MMF + TAC (n = 106) group (88.4 [34.3] mL/min/1.73 m2 to 83.2 [25.2] mL/min/1.73 m2), with significant (p < 0.05) differences in eGFR throughout the study. However, both groups had a similar clinical benefit regarding renal function (improvement in 18.6 % vs. 19.1 %, and stabilization in 81.4 % vs. 80.9 % of patients in the EVR + rTAC vs. MMF + TAC groups, respectively). There were no significant differences in the incidence of acute rejection (5.7 % vs. 3.8 %), deaths (5.7 % vs. 2.8 %), and serious adverse events (51.9 % vs. 44.0 %) between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: EVR + rTAC allows a safe reduction in tacrolimus exposure in de novo liver transplant recipients, with a significant improvement in eGFR but without significant differences in renal clinical benefit 1 year after liver transplantation.

Incidence and risk factors of primary non-function after liver transplantation using grafts from uncontrolled donors after circulatory death.

BACKGROUND: Graft primary non-function (PNF) is the most severe complication after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and is frequently associated with livers from uncontrolled circulatory death (uDCD). METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of patients showing PNF after receiving uDCD liver grafts. The series comprises 75 OLT performed during 11 years. RESULTS: The incidence of PNF using uDCD livers was 8%. We compared patients who developed PNF (n = 6) vs. patients without PNF (n = 69). Mean pump flow of donors during normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) was significantly lower in PNF (p = .032). Day 1 post-OLT levels of transaminases and the incidence of renal complications and postoperative mortality were also significantly higher in the PNF group, but 5-year patient survival was similar in both groups (66.7% in PNF and 68.5% in non-PNF). All PNF patients underwent re-OLT, and 2 died. PNF incidence has decreased in the last 5-years. Binary logistic regression analysis confirmed final ALT value >4 times the normal value as risk factor for PNF, and median donor pump flow >3700 ml/min as protective effect. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate donor pump flow during NRP was a protective.

Plakortinic acids C and D: a pair of peroxide-polyketides possessing a rare 7,8-dioxatricyclo[4.2.2.02,5]dec-9-ene core from a two-sponge association of Plakortis symbiotica-Xestospongia deweerdtae.

Plakortinic acids C (3) and D (4), two unprecedented peroxide-polyketides with 7,8-dioxatricyclo[4.2.2.02,5]dec-9-ene scaffold, as well as known biogenetically related congeners, plakortinic acids A (1) and B (2), were isolated from a two-sponge association of Plakortis symbiotica-Xestospongia deweerdtae. Upon chemical derivatization, the structures and relative configurations of 3 and 4 were characterized by analysis of HRESIMS and NMR spectroscopic data, molecular modeling studies, and chiroptical comparisons with known natural products and published values of [α]D of related synthetic analogs. A mixture of methyl ester derivatives 5 and 6 displayed negligible cytotoxicity against a panel of 60 cell lines of various human cancers at a concentration of 10 µM.

Biliary Complications After Liver Transplantation From Uncontrolled Donors After Circulatory Death: Incidence, Management, and Outcome.

The utilization of livers from donation after uncontrolled circulatory death (uDCD) increases the availability of liver grafts, but it is associated with a higher incidence of biliary complications (BCs) and lower graft survival than those organs donated after brain death. From January 2006 to December 2016, we performed 75 orthotopic liver transplantations (OLTs) using uDCD livers. To investigate the relationship of BCs with the use of uDCD OLT, we compared patients who developed BCs (23 patients) with those who did not (non-BC group, 43 patients) after excluding cases of hepatic artery thrombosis (a known cause of BC) and primary nonfunction. The groups had similar uDCD donor maintenance, donor and recipient characteristics, and perioperative morbidity/mortality rates, but we observed a higher rate of hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis C virus in the non-BC group. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary dilation, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography dilation, Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ), a T-tube, and retransplantation were used for BC management. In the BC group, 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rates were 91.3%, 69.6%, and 65.2%, respectively, versus 77.8%, 72.9%, and 72.9%, respectively, in the non-BC group (P = 0.89). However, 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rates were 78.3%, 60.9%, and 56.5%, respectively, in the BC group versus 77.8%, 72.9%, and 72.9%, respectively, in the non-BC group (P = 0.38). Multivariate analysis did not indicate independent risk factors for BC development. In conclusion, patient and graft survival rates were generally lower in patients who developed BCs but not significantly so. These complications were managed in the majority of patients through radiological dilation, endoscopic dilation, or Roux-en-Y HJ. Retransplantation is necessary in rare cases after the failure of biliary dilation or surgical procedures.

Number and function of circulatory helper innate lymphoid cells are unaffected by immunosuppressive drugs used in solid organ recipients - a single centre cohort study.

In transplanted intestines, depletion of T cells together with long-term persistence of ILC is observed, suggesting ILC insensitivity to immunosuppressive drugs. To further analyze helper ILC (hILC) apparent resistance to therapy, cytotoxic ILC (NK cells), hILC subsets (ILC1, ILC2, and ILC precursors (ILCP)), and their signature cytokines (IFNγ, IL4 + IL13, and IL22) were analyzed in peripheral blood of kidney and liver transplant recipients. Early after transplantation (posTx), transplanted patients showed significantly lower Lin + and NK cells, whereas total hILC, ILC1, ILC2, and ILCP numbers were similar in patients and controls. Between paired pre- and posTx samples, Lin + cell and NK cell counts significantly decreased, whereas all three hILC counts and their cytokine production remained similar. ILC1, ILC2, and ILCP numbers were also similar in patients under thymoglobulin or basiliximab (BAS), patients without induction (only maintenance therapy) and controls. hILC showed lower TMG binding comparing to Lin + cells, reduced expression of CD25 (BAS target), and diminished calcineurin activity with undetectable calcineurin and FKBP12 (tacrolimus target). hILC counts were not related to delayed graft function or biopsy-proven acute rejection. Thus, hILC remain stable early after transplantation and seem unaffected by immunosuppressors, which may be related to reduced targets expression and low calcineurin activity.

Near infrared (NIR)-spectroscopy and in-vitro dissolution absorption system 2 (IDAS2) can help detect changes in the quality of generic drugs.

While Health authorities in Panama strive to increase generic drug use to contain the rising costs of medicines, there is still hesitation to embrace generic drugs. Thus, regulators and drug companies need to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of generic drugs. One prevailing concern is the absence of control over lot-to-lot changes, which may impact consistent therapeutic performance. The objective of this work was to determine whether near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) could detect product changes. Calibration models were built using reference (standard) tablets of two products: Virax® (200 mg acyclovir) and Amlopin® (5 mg amlodipine). Then, to assess the sensitivity of NIR to product changes we compared reference versus deliberately-modified formulations of these products. Comparisons were made using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) of NIR spectra. Several modified lots were different from reference lots, and 3D score plots showed greater discrimination by PLS-DA than PCA. The Kth nearest neighbor scores (KNN) of the modified batches were used to classify formulations as identical or not identical versus the reference. In addition, the differences detected by NIR were correlated with different in vitro dissolution and/or permeation in the in vitro dissolution absorption system 2 (IDAS2): NIR and IDAS2 yielded the same rank-order of difference for the modified lots tested. This study suggests that NIR and IDAS2 can help detect lots of generic drugs that differ from the reference lots. This strategy may help regulatory agencies in developing countries to safeguard patients against lot-to-lot changes in generic products.

Using octreotide for refractory ascites after liver transplantation.

Refractory ascites is a condition associated with a reduced survival and a poorer quality of life. Portal hyperflow after liver transplantation is one of the main causes. We report the case of a female patient with refractory ascites after liver transplantation who was treated with splenic embolization. Ascites persisted despite embolization due to splenic revascularization by short gastric vessels and repeat embolization was technically unfeasible. Based on pathophysiology data, she was treated with octreotide, a somatostatin octapeptide analog, which resulted in splanchnic vasoconstriction and a reduction of the portal flow and venous pressure. After four months of treatment with octreotide, the patient had a good clinical status without ascites.

Outcome of patients with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis undergoing simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Controversy remains with regard to the higher risk of intra-abdominal infections and lower patient and graft survival when peritoneal dialysis (PD) rather than hemodialysis (HD) is used in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT). METHODS: From March 1995 to December 2015, we performed 165 SPKTs. Prior to transplant, patients received hemodialysis (group HD; n = 98) or peritoneal dialysis (group PD; n = 67). A comparison was made to analyze post-transplant complications and patient, pancreas, and kidney graft survivals. RESULTS: Donor, pretransplant, and perioperative recipient variables were similar in both groups. Overall rates of infections (69.4% in HD vs 73.1% in PD; P = .50) and intra-abdominal infections (31.6% in HD vs 35.8 in PD; P = .57) were similar in both groups. The rates of pancreatitis, hemorrhage or thrombosis of the graft, duodenal graft leak, relaparotomy, transplantectomy, pancreas rejection, and retransplantation were similar in both groups. Patient survival at 1, 3, and 5 years (95.9%, 93.9%, and 93.9% in HD vs 95.5%, 92.2%, and 90.4% in PD; P = .54) and pancreas graft survival (83.6%, 78.0%, and 71.8% in HD vs 79.2%, 77.4%, and 71.0% in PD; P = .8) were similar in both groups. Kidney graft survival was similar in both groups. Pancreas graft thrombosis, rejection, and relaparotomy for intra-abdominal complications were independent predictors of lower pancreas graft survival, but dialysis modality did not influence patient or graft survival. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-SPKT modality of dialysis does not significantly influence overall or intra-abdominal infection and patient, pancreas, or kidney graft survivals.

Management and Outcome of Liver Abscesses After Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Liver abscess after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is a rare, life-threatening complication. The aim of this study is to analyze the incidence, risk factors, clinical manifestations, treatment and outcomes of liver abscesses after OLT. METHODS: We perform a retrospective review of the patients who developed one or more liver abscesses among a series of 984 patients who underwent OLT between January 2000 and December 2016. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (1.5%) developed 18 episodes of liver abscesses, and the median time from OLT to the diagnosis of liver abscess was 39.7 months. Major predisposing factors were biliary strictures in 11 patients, hepatic artery thrombosis in 8, re-OLT in 3, choledochojejunostomy in 2, living donor OLT in 2, donor after cardiac death in 1, split liver in 1, and liver biopsy in 1. All patients were managed by intravenous antibiotics; percutaneous drainage was performed in 10 patients, while 2 patients underwent re-OLT. The mortality rate related to liver abscesses was 21.4%. The mean hospital stay was 30 ± 19 days, and during a mean follow-up of 93 ± 78 months, three other patients died. CONCLUSIONS: Liver abscesses must be managed with antibiotic therapy and percutaneous drainage, but when these conservative measures fail (persistent abscess and sepsis), a re-OLT must be performed in order to prevent the high mortality associated with this severe complication.

Tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for diffuse biliary papillomatosis in the absence of invasive carcinoma.

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) or biliary papillomatosis (BP) is a premalignant entity with high risk of malignant transformation. When the disease extends widely from the intrahepatic to the extrahepatic biliary tree, liver transplantation (LT) is the only option available. We present the case of a 43-year-old male who was admitted in our hospital with an acute cholangitis. He was diagnosed of diffuse biliary and pancreatic papillomatosis. Firstly, we performed a cephalic pancreaticoduodenectomy, then we completed a total pancreatectomy, and finally, after confirming the absence of foci of carcinoma infiltration or lymph nodes involvement, a LT was performed. Foci of carcinoma infiltration or lymph nodes involvement in the liver were not found. After a two-year follow-up the patient developed liver recurrence and the biopsy showed a biliary adenocarcinoma. In 2010, Vibert et al. published a series of three cases concluding that in the absence of invasive carcinoma and positive lymph nodes, LT can be performed with success. The present case is the first to describe recurrence of the disease after LT in the absence of invasive carcinoma and positive lymph nodes in the literature. When the disease affects widely the entire biliary duct, small micro-invasive foci may not be detected. Nevertheless, although we know that it is a recurrent entity, the pathogenesis is unknown, and we do not know if it is possible that papillomatosis recurs over the new liver.

Liver-kidney simultaneous transplantation in adult patients with primary hyperoxaluria. Experience at Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre.

Primary hyperoxaluria (PH) is a metabolic liver disease with an autosomal recessive inheritance that results in oxalate overproduction that cannot be metabolized by the liver. Urinary excretion of oxalate results in lithiasis and nephrocalcinosis leading to a progressive loss of renal function that often requires renal replacement therapy despite medical treatment. Type 1 PH is the most common form and is due to a deficiency in the alanine-glycolate aminotransferase enzyme found in hepatic peroxisomes. Therefore, a liver-kidney simultaneous transplant (LKST) is the definitive treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. However, some studies suggest that the morbidity and mortality rates are greater when this procedure is performed instead of only a kidney transplant (IKT). Herein, we report five patients with PH and a mean glomerular filtration rate of 20.2 ± 1.3 ml/min/1.73 m2 who received a LKST between 1999 and 2015 at the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Recurrence and liver or kidney graft loss was not observed during the postoperative period and only one case of late acute rejection without graft loss was diagnosed. The recipient survival rate was 100% with a median follow up of 84 months. As LKST is a curative and safe procedure with a low mortality and high survival rate, it must be considered as the treatment of choice in adults with HP and ESRD.

Complement C3F allotype synthesized by liver recipient modifies transplantation outcome independently from donor hepatic C3.

Complement component 3 (C3) presents both slow (C3S) and fast (C3F) variants, which can be locally produced and activated by immune system cells. We studied C3 recipient variants in 483 liver transplant patients by RT-PCR-HRM to determine their effect on graft outcome during the first year post-transplantation. Allograft survival was significantly decreased in C3FF recipients (C3SS 95% vs C3FS 91% vs C3FF 83%; P=.01) or C3F allele carriers (C3F absence 95% vs C3F presence 90%, P=.02). C3FF genotype or presence of C3F allele independently increased risk for allograft loss (OR: 2.38, P=.005 and OR: 2.66, P=.02, respectively). C3FF genotype was more frequent among patients whose first infection was of viral etiology (C3SS 13% vs C3FS 18% vs C3FF 32%; P=.04) and independently increased risk for post-transplant viral infections (OR: 3.60, P=.008). On the other hand, C3FF and C3F protected from rejection events (OR: 0.54, P=.03 and OR: 0.63, P=.047, respectively). Differences were not observed in hepatitis C virus recurrence or patient survival. In conclusion, we show that, independently from C3 variants produced by donor liver, C3F variant from recipient diminishes allograft survival, increases susceptibility to viral infections, and protects from rejection after transplantation. C3 genotyping of liver recipients may be useful to stratify risk.

Exploring the Sponge Consortium Plakortis symbiotica-Xestospongia deweerdtae as a Potential Source of Antimicrobial Compounds and Probing the Pharmacophore for Antituberculosis Activity of Smenothiazole A by Diverted Total Synthesis.

Fractionation of the bioactive CHCl3-MeOH (1:1) extracts obtained from two collections of the sponge consortium Plakortis symbiotica-Xestospongia deweerdtae from Puerto Rico provided two new plakinidone analogues, designated as plakinidone B (2) and plakinidone C (3), as well as the known plakinidone (1), plakortolide F (4), and smenothiazole A (5). The structures of 1-5 were characterized on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic, IR, UV, and HRMS analysis. The absolute configurations of plakinidones 2 and 3 were established through chemical correlation methods, VCD/ECD experiments, and spectroscopic data comparisons. When assayed in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, none of the plakinidones 1-3 displayed significant activity, whereas smenothiazole A (5) was the most active compound, exhibiting an MIC value of 4.1 µg/mL. Synthesis and subsequent biological screening of 8, a dechlorinated version of smenothiazole A, revealed that the chlorine atom in 5 is indispensable for anti-TB activity.

Treatment of caval vein thrombosis associated with renal tumors. / Tratamiento de la trombosis de vena cava inferior asociada a los tumores renales.

INTRODUCTION: Renal carcinoma represents 3% of all solid tumors and is associated with renal or inferior caval vein (IVC) thrombosis between 2-10% of patients, extending to right atrial in 1% of cases. METHODS: This is a retrospective study that comprises 5 patients who underwent nephrectomy and thrombectomy by laparotomy because of renal tumor with IVC thrombosis level iii. RESULTS: Four patients were males and one was female, and the mean age was 57,2 years (range: 32-72). Most important clinical findings were hematuria, weight loss, weakness, anorexia, and pulmonary embolism. Diagnostic confirmation was performed by CT scanner. Metastatic disease was diagnosed before surgery in 3 patients. Suprahepatic caval vein and hepatic hilium (Pringle's maneouver) were clamped in 4 patients, and ligation of infrarrenal caval vein was carry out in one patient. Five patients developed mild complications (Clavien I/II). No patient died and the mean hospital stay was 8,6 days. All patients were treated with chemotherapy, and 3 died because distant metastasis, but 2 are alive, without recurrence, at 5 and 60 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Nephrectomy and thrombectomy in renal tumors with caval thrombosis can be curative in absence of metastasis or, at less, can increase survival or quality of live. Then these patients must be treated in liver transplant units because major surgical and anesthesiologic expertise. Adjuvant treatment with tyrosin kinase inhibitors must be validate in the future with wider experiences.