[Endovascular treatment of superior vena cava syndrome].
BACKGROUND
Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is caused by the obstruction of venous drainage from the upper portion of the body. Common clinical findings are headache and cervical, facial and upper limb edema. Occasionally, clouding of consciousness appears.


OBJECTIVE
to report our experience with endovascular treatment of SVCS.


METHODS
Retrospective review of all patients with SVCS subjected to endovascular treatment between 1999 and 2005.


RESULTS
Eight patients were treated, all of them with malignancies. Six had a benign obstruction due to the presence of a chemotherapy catheter located in the superior vena cava, one had obstruction secondary to radiation therapy and one a tumor compression of the superior vena cava. Two patients underwent thrombolytic therapy. Angioplasty and stenting was performed in all patients. The chemotherapy catheter was removed to all patients and installed again in one. One patient had a hemothorax secondary to a simultaneous needle lung biopsy under video thoracoscopy. No patient died in relation to the procedure. Congestive signs and symptoms subsided in all patients within 24 hours after the procedure. During follow up, only one patient had symptoms related to vena cava obstruction and three died due to their malignant tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
Endovascular treatment of SVCS has a low rate of complications and provides immediate and mid-term symptom relief.
Bergoeing R
Michel
M
Cirugía Vascular y Endovascular, Departamento de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Mertens M
Renato
R
Valdés E
Francisco
F
Krämer Sch
Albrecht
A
Alvarez Z
Manuel
M
Bertin C
Pablo
P
Sagüés C
Rodrigo
R
Orellana U
Eric
E
Galindo A
Héctor
H
Vergara G
Jeannette
J
Valdebenito C
Magaly
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome