A 2-Stage Surgical Approach for Adrenocortical Carcinoma With Intracardiac Extension

Direct intracardiac extension of abdominal malignant diseases represents a rare but challenging situation. Removal of the intracardiac extension requires cardiopulmonary bypass with systemic anticoagulation, which could potentially increase the risk of bleeding if it is associated with liver resection. This report describes a 2-stage surgical approach for malignant disease with intracardiac extension in a high-risk patient. Atrial thrombectomy was performed first, followed by right portal vein embolization. Four months after the cardiac surgical procedure, the patient underwent right hepatectomy extended to segment 1, the right adrenal gland, and the retrohepatic inferior vena cava under venovenous bypass. The advantages and drawbacks of this approach are discussed.