Anatomy problems related to the complex retroperitoneal tumor        HUANG Xiao-hui, LI Pei-yu, GONG Lei, et al. Department of General Surgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
Corresponding author: LI Pei-yu, E-mail:lipeiyuu@yahoo.com.cn
Abstract    Retroperitoneal tumor can be classified into many types and involve many different parts. Operation complexity depends on the tumor location, with tumor located in the upper abdomen more difficult than the lower part and right more difficult than the left part. Tumor in the right upper quadrant is most complex to mange. The anatomic location is the first key factor for the operation, with blood supply and tumor formation coming as the second, while the tumor size is not decisive. The most important anatomic structures in the location include the duodenum, abdominal aorta, superior mesenteric artery, inferior vena cava and lumbar veins. Only with a comprehensive understanding of the key structure of the retroperitoneal space, and nether easy giving up nor blind dissection, surgeons can accumulate more experience to mange the patients better.