Repeat sternotomy and hypothermic circulatory arrest for resection of renal cell carcinoma with tumour thrombus extension into the right atrium

Surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment for advanced non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with tumour thrombus extending into the inferior vena cava (IVC). There is extensive literature regarding the resection of subdiaphragmatic tumour thrombus however there are fewer reports of resection of tumour thrombus that has extended into the right atrium. We report the successful resection of a right renal cell carcinoma with tumour thrombus extending into the right atrium in a patient who had undergone previous coronary artery bypass grafting.