Superior vena cava stent placement: results with the Wallstent endoprosthesis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical success and short-term patency of the Wallstent endoprosthesis in the treatment of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome.


METHODS
Twenty-one 14-mm-diameter endoprostheses were implanted in 15 patients (mean age, 60 years) treated for SVC syndrome due to malignant compression (n = 14) or postirradiation fibrotic stenosis (n = 1) of the SVC.


RESULTS
Immediate technical success was achieved in all patients. Two early complications occurred: retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to venous iliac tear and early stent thrombosis. In the 14 patients without early stent occlusion, stent placement resulted in complete relief of SVC syndrome; clinical success was 93%. SVC syndrome did not recur from 1 to 14 months, until the patient died (n = 11) or until the end of the study (n = 3). Helical CT showed a patent stent in five patients, respectively, at 3, 6, 8, 10, and 11 months.


CONCLUSIONS
SVC stent placement has good clinical results and a high patency rate at short-term follow-up in patients with SVC syndrome.
Hennequin
L M
LM
Department of Radiology, C.H.U. Nancy-Hôpital Central, Nancy, France.
Fade
O
O
Fays
J G
JG
Bic
J F
JF
Jaafar
S
S
Bertal
A
A
Anthoine
D
D
Bernadac
P A
PA
D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D013193:Stainless Steel; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology
D013193:Stainless Steel