[Acute thrombosis of the superior vena cava after cardiac surgery]

One case of acute superior vena cava syndrome occurring twelve days after open-heart surgery was reported. The severity of the accompanying clinical signs led to the carrying out of an urgent superior vena cavogram. It revealed a superior vena caval obstruction by a thrombus which extended into the azygos vein; extrinsic compression was therefore ruled out. The thrombosis seemed to be due to direct trauma by the catheter or to the infusion of irritating solutions. Emergency thrombectomy was successfully carried out.