title: Intravascular stents in the management of superior vena cava syndrome.
abstract: Superior vena cava syndrome can be effectively palliated with the use of intravascular stents. Adjunctive modalities which may be utilized prior to stent placement are thrombolytic therapy and balloon angioplasty. Six patients with an underlying malignancy were treated with these modalities. Complete resolution of symptoms occurred in five patients, and partial resolution occurred in the sixth. Two of the patients who had initial, complete resolution of symptoms had recurrences. One involved rethrombosis of the superior vena cava which occurred twice and required percutaneous thrombectomy, and the second involved restenosis requiring a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the SVC just distal to the stent. Both of these patients with second procedures, again, had complete resolution of symptoms. Intravascular stents are a valuable additional treatment of superior vena cava syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Pittsburgh Vascular Institute, Department of Radiological Sciences and Diagnostic Imaging, Shadyside Hospital, PA 15232.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wholey
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Jarmolowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D010166:Palliative Care; D010690:Phlebography; D012008:Recurrence; D015607:Stents; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator