Removal of Tumor Emboli of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Portal Vein During Hepatectomy -A Successful Case-

Yutaka Ozeki, Kenichiro Tateyama, Naoki Imai, Yasuhiro Sumi, Michiya Bando, Hideo Toshira, Junichi Kaneko, Masaki Azuma, Naomasa Yoshida

Department of Surgery, National Tosei Hospital

Tumor emboli of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the portal trunk that broke away during surgery were successfully removed by a Fogarty catheter. A 48-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of a 12 cm HCC in the right lobe of the liver. The mass had advanced into the right portal vein and inferior vena cava. Therefore, under total hepatic vascular exclusion, right hepatic trisegmentectomy was performed by the anterior approach. Although hepatic procedures were initially done, discoloration of the lateral segment of the liver was noticed during surgery. Intraoperative ultrasonography disclosed tumor emboli in the portal branch. Venotomy was performed on the transverse portion of the portal vein and a Fogarty catheter was inserted. The tumor emboli were successfully removed and the discoloration was immediately disappeared.

Key words
tumor emboli in portal vein, removal of tumor emboli, hepatectomy

Reprint requests
Yutaka Ozeki Department of Surgery, National Tosei Hospital
762-1 Nagasawa, Shimizu-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8611 JAPAN

Accepted
March 11, 1998

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