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Percutaneous treatment of superior vena cava syndrome caused by chronic thrombosis
Müslüm Şahin1, Süleyman Aktu Rk2, Mustafa Bulut3
1Department of Cardiology, Kartal Koşuyolu Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. sahinm78@yahoo.com.
Insights
Endovascular stenting successfully treated chronic superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) caused by thrombosis. This minimally invasive approach offers a high success rate for patients with SVCS and upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT).
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Interventional Radiology
Background:
- Chronic upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) and superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) are increasingly prevalent, often linked to central venous access devices.
- Alternative causes include hypercoagulable states, malignancy, and extrinsic compression.
Observation:
- A 48-year-old woman with SVCS experienced worsening facial and upper extremity swelling despite warfarin therapy.
- Imaging confirmed superior vena cava obstruction due to chronic thrombosis.
Findings:
- Percutaneous angioplasty and stenting were performed using femoral and jugular venous access.
- Successful implantation of two self-expandable stents resolved the superior vena cava obstruction.
- The patient's symptoms significantly improved post-procedure with no immediate complications.
Implications:
- Endovascular management, specifically stenting, is a highly effective first-line treatment for chronic SVCS and UEDVT.
- This approach demonstrates a favorable success rate and low morbidity compared to traditional medical or surgical interventions.
- Stenting offers a viable solution for complex venous obstructions, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
Abstract:
Chronic upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) and superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) are becoming increasingly common due to the use of indwelling catheters and implantable central venous access devices. Hypercoagulable syndromes, malignancy, extrinsic compression, and tumor invasion are other causes. Endovascular management of chronic UEDVT and SVCS is accepted as an important first-line treatment given its high overall success rate and low morbidity as compared with medical and surgical treatments. In this case, we present successful management with stenting of superior vena cava obstruction syndrome as a result of chronic thrombosis. A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with SVCS one year ago. Despite the use of warfarin therapy, her symptoms (swelling of the face and both upper extremities) progressively increased. It was thus decided to treat the patient with percutaneous angioplasty and stenting. Details of the occlusion were evaluated with computed tomography and venography. The right femoral vein and right jugular vein were used for the intervention. The occlusion was passed with a Miracle 12-g guidewire. After balloon pre-dilatation, two self-expandable stents were implanted. After stent placement, her clinical symptoms improved and she was discharged without complication.
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