Renal vein to portal vein collaterals in three cases of renal cell carcinoma extending into the inferior vena cava: consequences for chemoembolization.

Three patients with renal vein and inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus from left renal cell carcinoma (RCC) showed Lipiodol deposits in the liver following selective SMANCS (styrene maleic acid neocarzinostatin)/Lipiodol embolization of the renal tumors. In 2 of the 3 patients, renal-portal communications were demonstrated during selective renal arteriography. In 1 of these patients, considerable liver dysfunction occurred after the second renal chemoembolization and Lipiodol deposits persisted in the liver for about 1 month. We conclude that these anastomoses need to be considered prior to embolization therapy of patients with RCC and tumor thrombus in the renal vein and IVC. Sclerosing substances or larger particles may be better embolic agents in such patients.