Prosthetic replacement of the inferior vena cava after resection of a pheochromocytoma.

A 52-year-old man had an extensive right adrenal pheochromocytoma with invasion of the pararenal inferior vena cava (IVC). Tumor resection required en bloc resection of the infrahepatic IVC. The right kidney was not involved with tumor. Reconstruction of the IVC was performed with an externally supported, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft with reimplantation of the right renal veins into the prosthesis. Postoperative patency of the IVC graft and renal veins was confirmed by venacavography and color-flow duplex scanning. This latter technique has been used to document interval patency of the IVC graft 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.