title: Superior vena cava syndrome caused by encapsulated pleural effusion.
abstract: Pleural effusion is often a manifestation of the superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. However, pleural effusion has never been reported to be a cause of the SVC syndrome. We report the case of a 68 yr old male patient who presented with SVC syndrome and respiratory failure, both attributable to an encapsulated pleural effusion over the right upper mediastinum. Simple drainage was performed as a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. The pleural effusion was confirmed to be a tuberculous empyema. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan is the most appropriate initial diagnostic procedure for superior vena cava syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Chest Dept, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Perng
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004322:Drainage; D004654:Empyema, Tuberculous / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed