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.
Rantis
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PC
Department of Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153.
Littooy
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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