Two days before surgery in a 70-year-old man with renal cell carcinoma, transthoracic echocardiography showed a dense mass in the inferior vena cava, lying proximally, but no mass was observed in the right atrium. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed unexpected tumor thrombi in the right atrium, and the surgical plan was changed. This case highlights the importance of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in patients with renal cell carcinoma.
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Rodríguez-RubioFIAbadJISanzGDiez-CaballeroFMartín-MarquinaARosellD. Surgical management of retroperitoneal tumors with vena caval thrombus in the inferior cava using cardiopulmonary bypass, arrested circulation and profound hypothermia. Eur Urol1997; 32: 94–97.
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ChenHNgVKaneCJRussellIA. The role of transesophageal echocardiography in rapid diagnosis and treatment of migratory tumor embolus. Anesth Analg2004; 99: 357–359.
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OikawaTShimazuiTJohrakuAKiharaSTsukamotoSMiyanagaN. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography for inferior vena caval tumor thrombus in renal cell carcinoma. Int J Urol2004; 11: 189–192.
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LoboALewisJFContiCR. Intracardiac masses detected by echocardiography: case presentations and review of the literature. Clin Cardiol2000; 23: 702–708.
