Long-term results of endovascular stent placement in the superior caval venous system.
OBJECTIVE
To present the long-term results in superior caval stenting for symptomatic obstruction.


METHODS
Forty-nine stents were placed in 30 patients: 16 (53%) with malignant lesions, five (17%) with benign lesions and nine (30%) hemodialysis patients. Self-expandable stents were deployed on a first-line basis. Patients were followed clinically as well as by various imaging techniques and survival analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Stent deployment was possible in all cases. Reocclusion was seen in 13 patients, of whom eight belonged to the hemodialysis group. Primary and secondary patency rates for malignant, benign and hemodialysis patients were respectively 74%, 50% and 22%, and 74%, 75% and 56% at 1 year. We had 7% complications and one death from iatrogenic superior vena cava injury.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary stenting of superior caval obstruction is a first-choice treatment method achieving good mid-term patency. Patients with hemodialysis shunts must be closely monitored for early reintervention.
Smayra
T
T
Service Central de Radiologie, CHR Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
Otal
P
P
Chabbert
V
V
Chemla
P
P
Romero
M
M
Joffre
F
F
Rousseau
H
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration; D005602:France; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012086:Reoperation; D015607:Stents; D013350:Subclavian Vein / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D013995:Time; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000601:surgery*