Extended hepatectomy with ePTFE graft vena caval replacement and hepatic vein reconstruction: a case report

A 69 year-old man with a history of thoracoplastic surgery for pulmonary tuberculosis, who required a blood transfusion and subsequently tested positive for hepatitis C virus, developed a right hypochondrial mass, swelling of the lower extremities and malaise. A huge hepatocellular carcinoma invading the suprahepatic vena cava with tumor thrombi was diagnosed radiographically. An extended right hepatectomy with supra- to retrohepatic IVC resection was performed in an en bloc fashion using a centrifugal pump for hepatic vascular exclusion (HVE). The supra- to retrohepatic IVC was replaced with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft, 20 mm x 10 cm in size, and the left hepatic venous confluence was reconstructed. Twenty-one months after surgery, the patient is in good condition without recurrence of tumor.