Management of angiomyolipoma vena cava thrombus during pregnancy

Renal Angiomyolipoma with Tumor Thrombus in the Inferior Vena Cava and Right Atrium Accompanied by Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report

Background: Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) without local invasion is generally considered benign. However, it may extend to the renal sinus, even the renal vein, or the inferior vena cava (IVC). In patients with non-tuberous sclerosis complex, coexistence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and renal AML is uncommon. Case presentation: A 72-year-old woman was incidentally found to have a solitary right renal mass with an IVC thrombus extending into the right atrium during a routine health checkup. Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy were successfully performed through adequate preoperative examination and preparation. Two tumor lesions were found and pathologically confirmed as renal AML and RCC, and the tumor thrombus was derived from the renal AML. During the one-year follow-up period, no signs of recurrence or metastatic disease were observed. Conclusions: Renal AML with a tumor thrombus in the IVC and right atrium accompanied by RCC may occur, although rarely. In clinical practice, if preoperative manifestations differ from those of common diseases, rare diseases must be considered to avoid missed diagnoses. In addition, adequate examination and multidisciplinary discussions before making a diagnosis are necessary. For a level 4 tumor thrombus with no infringement of the venous wall, adoption of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, without extracorporeal circulation technology, is feasible.

The effect of pregnancy on renal angiomyolipoma; a world of knowledge to gain, specifically in women with TSC

BACKGROUND

Women are counseled preconceptionally about the potential risks of rAML progression and chance of complications during and due to pregnancy. However, a systematic search investigating the evidence on which this advice is based does not exist. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the effect of pregnancy on renal angiomyolipoma (rAML) size and risk of haemorrhage in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Medline and ClinicalTrials.gov using terms for "renal angiomyolipoma" and "pregnancy". English-language articles published between January 1st 2000, and December 31st 2020 of which full-text was available were included. The initial search resulted in 176 articles. After the screening process we included 45 case reports and 1 retrospective study. For the retrospective study we assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We included articles about renal AML and pregnancy with and without an established diagnosis of TSC. From these articles we recorded the rAML sizes and rAML complications.

RESULTS

Seven case reports, from a total of 45 case reports, provided follow-up data on renal AML size (these were all cases of renal AML without a known diagnosis of TSC). Of these cases, renal AML size decreased in one patient, was stable in one patient, increased in three patients and fluctuated in two others. Renal AML size of women who suffered a haemorrhage were significantly larger (12.1 ± 4.6 cm) than rAMLs of women who did not suffer a haemorrhage (8.3 ± 3.2 cm). Data from the retrospective study showed no difference in renal complications between the women with and without a history of pregnancy. Haemorrhage occurred in 30% of the women with a history of pregnancy (n = 20) and in 11% in the patients without a history of pregnancy (n = 2), however this retrospective study had methodological limitations.

CONCLUSION

The effect of pregnancy on renal AML size and complications in patients with TSC is unclear. More research is needed to determine the risk of pregnancy on TSC-associated kidney disease in TSC patient.

Surgical management of angiomyolipoma with vena cava thrombus during pregnancy: a case report

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) can grow and worsen during pregnancy. Sporadic classic variant renal AML with tumor thrombus in the renal vein and inferior vena cava (IVC) during pregnancy is rare. We report a case of complex surgical treatment during pregnancy with normal childbirth. A 27-year-old woman with bilateral AML was faced with large asymptomatic AML and IVC thrombus at 24 weeks of gestation. The magnetic resonance imaging showed that the tumor thrombus had fatty signal. The tumor and IVC thrombus were treated by laparoscopic nephrectomy and open tumor thrombectomy during pregnancy. The patient underwent term spontaneous vaginal delivery at 39 weeks of gestation smoothly and the neonate was in good health. Successful retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy with open tumor thrombectomy during pregnancy is possible in dealing with invasive renal AML for pregnant patients. Renal AML requires close follow-up during pregnancy. And detailed consult with urologists is necessary before pregnancy.

The Risks of Renal Angiomyolipoma: Reviewing the Evidence

Renal angiomyolipoma (RAML), though a rare benign tumor, may impose a significant morbidity or even mortality due to its unique characteristics and the complications subsequent to its treatment. The classic tumor variant is composed of smooth muscular, vascular, and fatty components. The most straightforward diagnosis is when the fat component is abundant and gives a characteristic appearance on different imaging studies. In fat-poor lesions, however, the diagnosis is difficult and presumed a renal cell carcinoma. Yet, some variants of RAML, though rare, express an aggressive behavior leading to metastasis and mortality. The challenge lies in the early detection of benign variants and identifying aggressive lesions for proper management. Another challenge is when the vascular tissue component predominates and poses a risk of hemorrhage that may extend to the retroperitoneum in a massive life-threatening condition. The predicament here is to identify the characteristics of tumors at risk of bleeding and provide a prophylactic treatment. According to the clinical presentation, different treatment modalities, prophylactic or therapeutic, are available that span the spectrum of observation, embolization, or surgery. Renal impairment may result from extensive tumor burden or as a complication of the management itself. Improvement of diagnostic techniques, super-selective embolization, nephron-sparing surgery, and late treatment with the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors have provided more effective and safe management strategies. In this review, we examine the evidence pertaining to the risks imposed by RAML to the patients and identify merits and hazards associated with different treatment modalities.

Minimal fat renal angiomyolipoma with lymph node involvement: A case report and literature review

Renal angiomyolipomas (AML), consisting of fatty tissue, blood vessels, and smooth muscular cells in various proportions, is a relatively common benign renal neoplasm. Simultaneous involvement of the kidney and lymph nodes is uncommon and might be confused with an advanced renal cancer. AML is divided into minimal fat AML and fat-predominant AML. However, minimal fat AML with lymph node involvement is extremely rare and difficult to differentiate from RCC on images. We report such a case and review the literature.

Renal angiomyolipoma during pregnancy: Case report and literature review

Renal angiomyolipoma is a rare tumor that can be either sporadic or found together with tuberous sclerosis or pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis. These tumors are hormone sensitive and therefore tend to grow during pregnancy and their main complication is the risk of rupture. Optimal management is still controversial because there are very few cases reported in the literature. We expect that the case of our patient, who delivered her baby vaginally at 36 weeks of gestation and underwent definitive treatment (nephrectomy) thereafter, to further enhance the knowledge about the management of these rare tumors during pregnancy.

[Renal angiomyolipoma with inferior vena cava thrombosis during pregnancy]

The diagnosis of angiomyolipoma with tumor thrombus from the renal vein into the inferior vena cava is rare, especially during pregnancy. We report the case of a 31-year-old pregnant woman who was diagnosed with a 9 cm angiomyolipoma of the right kidney with inferior vena cava thrombosis, managed by active surveillance during pregnancy and delayed surgery after childbirth.

Angiomyolipoma with caval extension and regional nodal involvement: Aggressive behaviour or just rare natural history? Case report and review of literature

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is predominantly a non-aggressive benign tumour. Cases of more aggressive AMLs are present in the literature. We present 2 cases of aggressive AML behaviour. The first case is an AML with vascular extension in a young female and the second case is of AML found in regional lymph nodes in a female with a left renal AML and renal cell carcinoma.

Robotic-assisted radical nephrectomy for renal angiomyolipoma with inferior vena cava thrombus extension

Renal angiomyolipoma with inferior vena caval venous extension is rare with only 40 cases reported in the literature. We report a case of a 35-year-old lady with angiomyolipoma with inferior vena caval thrombus that was managed surgically with robotic-assisted radical nephrectomy.

Nephron sparing surgery for renal angiomyolipoma with inferior vena cava thrombus in tuberous sclerosis

Introduction. Angiomyolipoma is a common benign renal tumor. It is associated with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) in 20% of patients. Angiomyolipomas are classically multiple, bilateral, and growing; they may lead to complications such as Wunderlich syndrome or, in rare cases, to venous extension. Observation. a 74-year-old woman with TSC presented with an angiomyolipoma of the right kidney with inferior vena cava (IVC) fatty thrombus. She underwent partial nephrectomy and thrombectomy. After a 7-year follow-up there was no evidence of recurrence or metastasis and her renal function was preserved. Review of Literature. It is the 44th reported angiomyolipoma associated with IVC thrombus. The mean size of angiomyolipomas was 86.1 mm and 67.4% of patients were symptomatic. Pulmonary embolism was found in 6 patients. There were 2 cases of recurrence/metastatic outcome after radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy. They were associated with epithelioid form. The mean size of epithelioid tumors was significantly bigger than in classical angiomyolipomas (127.1 mm versus 82.6 mm, P = 0.037). With a median follow-up of 12 months, 91.3% of patients were recurrence and metastasis free, with 3 cases of nephron sparing surgery. Conclusion. Nephron sparing surgery for angiomyolipoma with IVC fatty thrombus can be safely performed in TSC, even in sporadic angiomyolipoma.

Renal hemorrhagic actinomycotic abscess in pregnancy

Actinomyces israelii is a gram-positive, filamentous anaerobic bacteria colonizing the oral and gastrointestinal tracts. Retroperitoneal actinomycotic abscess is uncommon and its rare presentation as a hemorrhagic mass may be confused with malignancy. We present a case of this unusual infection complicating pregnancy. Increased awareness of actinomycotic abscess in the differential diagnosis of renal mass concerning for malignancy is critical to early recognition and treatment of this rare infection and most importantly, avoidance of unnecessary surgical intervention.

Selective arterial embolisation of bilateral angiomyolipomata in a symptomatic pregnant female

Renal angiomyolipoma (RA) is a rare benign tumour that can expand rapidly during pregnancy due to oestrogen and other hormonal factors. Complications associated with expanding renal angiomyolipomata are spontaneous retroperitoneal haemorrhage secondary to acute rupture and thrombosis of the renal vein or inferior vena cava. MRI is recommended for diagnostic purposes in pregnancy; however, this modality is not always readily available. In the present report, we describe the first case of bilateral selective arterial embolisation for renal angiomyolipomata presenting symptomatically in a previously healthy pregnant female.

Angiomyolipoma with vascular invasion during pregnancy

Angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare, benign tumor composed of fat cells, smooth muscle cells, and blood vessels. They are commonly found in the kidney but have also been reported to occur in the liver, ovary, fallopian tube, spermatic cord, palate, and colon. Most often, they are discovered as an incidental finding on computed tomography scan and remain inconsequential; however, certain characteristics such as size, presence of aneurysms, and location can transform this disease process into a life-threatening entity. Here, we describe the case of a 30-year-old pregnant woman with bilateral renal AMLs in which there was invasion of the right renal vein and extension of the tumor into the inferior vena cava. The patient was believed to be at significant risk of hormone-mediated rapid expansion, embolization, and life-threatening pulmonary embolus during the pregnancy and was taken to the operating room for right nephrectomy and removal of the tumor from the vena cava. We report the first case of elective nephrectomy with the removal of the tumor from vena cava complicating pregnancy. The major risks of rupture, spontaneous hemorrhage, renal failure, and tumor thrombus were avoided, thereby demonstrating that despite pregnancy, successful surgery can be performed during the second trimester for the management of complicated AMLs.