Utility of preoperative vascular embolization of renal tumors with left renal vein tumor thrombus

Preoperative renal artery embolization (PRAE) for large renal masses may be performed prior to nephrectomy in order to simplify the procedure and reduce intraoperative bleeding. The objective of this work is to determine the role of PRAE on intraoperative bleeding and postoperative complications in left renal tumors with tumor thrombus limited to the left renal vein (level 0). Retrospective analysis to evaluate 46 patients who underwent left radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma with level 0 tumor thrombus during the period 1990–2020. PRAE was limited to those cases in which surgical access to the main renal artery was presumed a priori difficult in the preoperative imaging study (n = 9; 19.6%). Intraoperative bleeding was estimated based on the perioperative transfusion rate, and postoperative complications were categorized according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. The Chi-squared test was used for comparisons. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of transfusion and complications. There were no significant differences in the overall complication rate (11.1% vs. 32.4%, p = 0.19), major complication rate (0% vs. 8.1%, p = 0.51), or transfusion rate (11.1% vs. 19%, p = 0.49) between both groups (PRAE vs. non-PRAE). In the multivariate analysis, PRAE did not behave as a predictor of complications (OR: 0.11, 95%CI 0.01–2.86; p = 0.18) nor transfusion (OR: 0.46, 95%CI 0.02–7.38; p = 0.58). In our study on left RCC with level 0 tumor thrombus and difficult access to the main renal artery, PRAE was not associated with increased bleeding or postoperative complications, and it did not behave as an independent predictor of these variables. Therefore, it could be used as a preoperative maneuver to facilitate vascular management in selected cases. La embolización prequirúrgica de la arteria renal (EPAR) puede emplearse en grandes masas renales antes de la nefrectomía para simplificar el procedimiento y disminuir el sangrado intraoperatorio. Nuestro objetivo es determinar el papel de la EPAR sobre el sangrado intraoperatorio y las complicaciones postoperatorias en los tumores renales izquierdos con trombo tumoral limitado a la vena renal izquierda (nivel-0). Análisis retrospectivo de 46 pacientes intervenidos de nefrectomía radical izquierda y trombectomía como tratamiento de un carcinoma de células renales asociado a trombo tumoral de nivel 0 durante el periodo 1990–2020. La EPAR se limitó a aquello