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Superior vena cava obstruction after heart transplantation
Babak Sharif Kashani1, Zargham Hossein Ahmadi2, Seifollah Abdi3
1Tobacco Prevention and Control Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals
|April 16, 2014
Summary
Superior vena cava thrombosis is a rare complication after heart transplant. Stent placement successfully treated this obstruction, relieving symptoms like facial edema and tachycardia in a heart transplant recipient.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Surgery
- Vascular Surgery
Background:
- Superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction is a potential complication following heart transplantation.
- Orthotopic bicaval heart transplantation is a complex procedure with specific risks.
Observation:
- A 58-year-old male developed sudden facial edema, cyanosis, and tachycardia on postoperative day 12 after heart transplantation.
- Symptoms arose shortly after central venous line removal, prompting urgent investigation.
Findings:
- Transesophageal echocardiography identified superior vena cava thrombosis at the anastomosis site.
- Endovascular stent deployment was chosen to recanalize the obstructed SVC, avoiding surgical reexploration.
Implications:
- Successful stent placement rapidly resolved SVC obstruction symptoms.
- This case highlights endovascular stenting as a viable treatment for post-transplant SVC thrombosis.
