UA 45-year-old woman, suffering from a very invasive tumor mass, was saved at the Hospital Trust of Caserta thanks to a highly complex multidisciplinary surgical procedure. The procedure involved teams from the Cardiac Surgery, Urology, Vascular Surgery, Cardiology, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units. The patient presented to the Emergency Department with a history of persistent cough, and an initial diagnostic investigation revealed the presence of a large neoformation in the right atrium of the heart.
To further investigate the situation, a total body CT scan was performed, which revealed an even more complex picture: a tumor mass extending from the right kidney along the axis of the inferior vena cava to the right atrium. In addition, the CT scan revealed an occlusion of the right branch of the pulmonary artery due to a previous embolic event. Due to the risk of embolism, the patient was immediately transferred to the cardiac surgery operating block.
The multidisciplinary team, under the guidance of the directors of the Cardiac Surgery Unit, Andrea Montalto, and the Urology Unit, Ferdinando Fusco, planned and performed a delicate and complex operation. The operation included the excision of the tumor mass and the right kidney, the removal of the neoformation from the right atrium and the vena cava, as well as the extraction of the thrombus from the pulmonary artery.
After a short stay in the Intensive Care Unit of the Cardiovascular Department, the patient was transferred to the Cardiac Surgery Department, where she is currently hospitalized with a regular and peaceful outcome. The success of this multidisciplinary intervention testifies to the effectiveness of collaboration between different medical specialties in the treatment of complex and delicate cases such as this one.
Article published on 19 January 2024 - 15:24
