Robot Assisted Laparoscopy Combined with Thoracoscopy in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombus.

BACKGROUND: Facing the 0.7-22% incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (IVCTT), there are usually no obvious symptoms and signs when the tumor thrombus completely blocks the IVCTT in the early stage.1.J Gastroenterol. 29:41-46;2.Hepatogastroenterology. 41:154-157;3.Clin Cardiol. 19:211-213; Once diagnosed, it is the end-stage manifestation without unified treatment for HCC with IVCTT, bringing poor prognosis. Without active treatment, the median survival time is only 3 months. Previous scholars believed that patients with IVCTT should not adopt active surgical treatment. With the advance of technology, active surgical treatment has significantly lengthened the survival time with IVCTT.4.Ann Surg Oncol. 20:914-22;5.World J Surg Oncol. 11:259;6.Hepatogastroenterology. 58:1694-1699; However, for patients with HCC and IVCTT, open surgery was always selected in the past by opening the diaphragm through the combined thoracoabdominal incision to block the superior and subhepatic vena cava, leading long incision and huge trauma. With the development of minimally invasive techniques, laparoscopy thoracoscopy has showed great advantages in the treatment of HCC with IVCTT. A patient underwent laparoscopic with thoracoscopic resection of tumor and cancer thrombectomy after neoadjuvant therapy and then survived after follow-up.7.Ann Surg Oncol. 29:5548-5549 Therefore, it used as a first reported case of robot-assisted laparoscopic with thoracoscopic treatment of HCC complicated inferior vena cava cancer thrombectomy.

METHODS: A 41-year-old man had a liver space-occupying lesion discovered during his medical examination 2 months ago. The diagnosis of HCC with IVCTT was confirmed by enhanced CT and biopsy specimen in the first hospitalization. A combination of TACE, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy plan was applied for the patient after multidisciplinary treatment (MDT). Specifically, Lenvatinib was taken orally 8 mg daily and 160 mg of toripalimab was given intravenously every 3 weeks. His reexamination CT showed that the tumor was more advanced after 2 months of treatment. The surgical operation was performed based on comprehensive consideration. The patient was placed in the left lateral decubitus position, and a thoracoscopic prefabricated the inferior vena cava above diaphragm blocking device was pulled out of the incision. The patient was switched to a supine position with the head of the bed raised 30 degrees. The gallbladder was removed first after entering the abdominal cavity, then prefabricated first hilar blocking band. Sterile rubber glove edges and hemo-lock were used to fabricate the blocking device. The novel hepatic inflow occlusion device is a safe, reliable, and convenient technique that is associated with favorable perioperative outcomes and low risk of conversion.8.Surg Endosc. 34:2807-2813 The liver along the middle hepatic vein was cut to expose the anterior wall of the inferior vena cava, then prefabricated posterior inferior vena cava blocking belt and right hepatic vein blocking belt. Finally, the first portal of liver, right hepatic vein, retrohepatic inferior vena cava, and inferior vena cava above diaphragm were blocked in sequence, so that accomplishing tumor resection and thrombectomy of inferior vena cava. It should be emphasized that before the inferior vena cava is completely sutured, the retrohepatic inferior vena cava blocking device should be released to allow blood flow to flush the inferior vena cava. Moreover, transesophageal ultrasound is required to real-time monitor inferior vena cava blood flow and IVCTT. Some images of the operation are shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 (a) Layout of the trocar. ①Make a 3cm small incision between the right anterior axillary line and the midaxillary line, parallel to the fourth and fifth intercostal spaces; a puncture hole in the next intercostal space for endoscope; ②2cm above the intersection of umbilicus horizontal line and axillary front line; ③Intersection of right clavicular midline and umbilical horizontal line; ④Superior margin of umbilicus; ⑤The midpoint of '④ & ⑥'; ⑥2cm below the intersection of left clavicular midline and left costal margin. (b) Prefabricated the inferior vena cava blocking device above diaphragm by thoracoscopic. (c) The smooth tumor thrombus protruding into the inferior vena cava RESULTS: It took 475 min to finish the operation, and the loss of blood was estimated as 300 ml. The patient was discharged from hospital 8 days after the operation without postoperative complication. HCC was confirmed by postoperative pathology.

CONCLUSIONS: Robot surgical system reduces the limitations of laparoscopic surgery by offering a stable three-dimensional view, 10-times-enlarged image, restored eye-hand axis, and excellent dexterity with the endowristed instruments, which has several advantages over open operation such as diminished blood loss, reduced morbidity, and shorter hospital stay.9.Chirurg. 88:7-11;10.BMC Surg. 11:2;11.Minerva Chir. 64:135-146; Furthermore, it could favor the operative feasibility of difficult resections reducing the conversion rate and playing a role to extend the indications of liver resection to minimally invasive approaches. It may provide new curative options in patients deemed inoperable with conventional surgery, such as HCC with IVCTT.12.Biosci Trends. 16:178-188;13.J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Sci. 29:1108-1123.