Gianturco self-expanding stents: clinical experience in the vena cava and large veins

Twenty-five patients with stenosis of the vena cava (21) and other large veins (4) have been treated with self-expanding Gianturco metallic stents. Eighteen patients had superior vena cava syndrome. In 17, the stricture was due to malignant superior vena cava compression recurrent after maximum tolerance radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. In 16 of these patients there was early symptomatic relief. In 1 patient with a benign posttraumatic superior vena cava stricture, the stenosis was not relieved, and occlusion occurred after 1 month. Stenoses associated with dialysis shunts were relieved in 2 other patients. Two malignant and one benign inferior vena cava stenoses were relieved either until death, or in the benign case, for 30 months. One malignant subclavian vein obstruction occluded after 24 h due to stent misplacement and another with extrinsic mediastinal compression remained patent until death, extensive thrombus having been lysed prior to stent placement. The results of this short series suggest that the Gianturco self-expanding stent in the vena cava and large veins is easy and safe to place, and in most cases produces almost immediate palliation of the distressing effects of venous obstruction, often in a preterminal and inoperable patient.