[Spinal canal stenosis syndrome by venous collateralization of an inferior cava thrombosis]

We described in 1988 the case of a young patient with a right iliac vein and vena cava thrombosis who developed lubagoes and intermittent claudication of paralytic type. A digital venography by left femoral approach showed a derivation via the lumbar vein towards the spinal plexus. Later, the patient experienced a left external iliac vein thrombosis. Subsequently, collaterization went through the truncal veins and the clinical manifestations of the tight spinal canal disappeared. Since then, several cases of chronic thrombosis of the left primary iliac veins have been discovered. These also showed unexplained lumbagoes of the same duration. The idea of a relation of cause and effect was seldom accepted by the patients, which prevented us to proceed to many venous catherisms. Also, we performed only one operation until now: the cesarean of an ascending lumbar vein. In this very case, the tight spinal canal symptoms disappeared but appeared again after a few month-time for unknown reasons. Only one acute case has been found up to now: a woman who delivered by ligation suffered from lumbagoes and sciaticae. A dilatation of spinal veins and a lower vena cava thrombosis were showed by tomography. This woman had no leg symptom and lumbagoes disappeared with the partial recanalization of the cava.