Successful treatment of prolonged superior vena cava syndrome with thrombolytic therapy: a case report.
Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is most commonly due to direct compression of the SVC by a tumor. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of cases of SVC syndrome associated with chronic indwelling central venous catheters. We present a case history of a patient with prolonged symptoms of SVC syndrome that was successfully treated with catheter-directed (intraclot) infusion thrombolytic therapy with urokinase. The treatment, prevention, and incidence of SVC syndrome caused by thrombosis associated with catheters is discussed.
Department of Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153.
P C
PC
Rantis
F N
FN
Littooy
D000368:Aged; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator