Management of Retrohepatic Inferior Vena Cava Injury during Hepatectomy for Neoplasms

The aim of this article is to discuss the management of retrohepatic inferior vena cava injury during hepatectomy for neoplasms. Step-by-step hepatic vascular exclusion, digital compression, finger pinching, and surface-to-surface suturing were used in the management of retrohepatic inferior vena cava injury during hepatic resection in 16 cases: 12 patients underwent exclusion of the hepatic artery and portal vein by portal triad clamping (PTC) only; 3 underwent PTC and exclusion of the infrahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC); and 1 underwent PTC together with exclusion of the suprahepatic and infrahepatic IVC. In all cases, bleeding stopped immediately after the management described, with no intraoperative deaths and no postoperative bleeding. The median follow-up was 42.5 months (range 19–60 months) for all patients, and the 5-year survival rate of all patients with malignant tumors was 28.57%. One died of lung metastasis 19 months after operation, one with spontaneous rupture of a hepatocellular carcinoma 19 months after operation, and eight others from recurrence or metastasis 21, 23, 24, 27, 30, 35, 50, or 54 months after operation, respectively. Two patients had a recurrence 4 years and 4 years 6 months after the initial operation, respectively. The recurrent tumors of the liver were resected. The other patients are currently alive without recurrence or metastasis. The techniques described are safe, simple, practical, time-saving, and effective for controlling massive bleeding arising from injury to the retrohepatic inferior vena cava during hepatic resection.