Resection of suprarenal inferior vena cava and dacron graft replacement without right nephrectomy for echinococcal cyst. Case report and review of the literature.

A case of a hepatic echinococcal cyst of the right lobe (diam. 16 cm.) involving the anterior wall of the retrohepatic inferior vena cava is reported. During surgery, the vein was occasionally damaged and suture of the lesion was not possible. Therefore resection of the retrohepatic vena cava was performed and the segmental continuity was replaced with a dacron graft (1,6 X 5 cm.). The patient had an uneventful recovery. The controls at 6, 12 and 24 months showed excellent permeability of the prosthesis. This report represents the second long-term survival case of the literature. The indications for graft replacement of the inferior vena cava, are discussed.