Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026
Modeling Spontaneous Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma mRCC in Mice Following Nephrectomy
Published on: April 29, 2014
Unexpected Left Atrial Tumor Resected During Multidisciplinary Surgery for Renal Cell Carcinoma With Intracardiac
Caleb Sokolowski1, Lauren Bougioukas1, Mark Kissin1
1Northwell Cardiovascular Institute, New York, New York, USA.
Background:
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with extension into the right atrium is a complex condition that requires a multidisciplinary team approach to resection.
Case Summary:
A 79-year-old woman was referred after an ultrasound revealed a renal mass with an inferior vena cava lesion and extension into the right atrium. Resection was planned with the cardiac, urology, and vascular surgery teams. During intraoperative transesophageal imaging, an additional mass was noted in the left atrium. Complete resection was completed. Postoperative pathology revealed the renal, inferior vena cava, and right atrial lesions as RCC with thrombus. The left atrial lesion was identified as a myxoma.
Discussion:
RCC with extension into the right atrium accounts for fewer than 1% of RCC cases. Surgical resection remains the only potentially curative treatment. A simultaneous intraoperative discovery of a myxoma with concomitant resection is exceedingly rare.
Take-Home Message:
This case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to complex oncologic resection and the importance of intraoperative imaging during surgical resection.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Renal Impairment
One condition associated with renal failure is uremia. Uremia is characterized by impaired glomerular filtration and fluid accumulation in the body. This condition hinders the renal clearance of drugs, resulting in drug accumulation and potential...
01:20Renal Corpuscle
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous...
01:23Renal Clearance
Renal clearance refers to the volume of plasma cleared of a specific substance, such as creatinine, per unit of time. To measure clearance, urine samples are collected over a 24-hour period during each bladder voiding, followed by a single blood sample at the...
01:08Renal Drug Clearance: Comparison Between Renal Excretion Methods
Renal clearance is often associated with the renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which represents the rate at which plasma is filtered through the glomeruli in the kidney. When drug reabsorption is minimal and there is no active secretion, renal clearance is closely related to the...
02:40Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
01:25ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias