Surgical repair of superior vena cava syndrome

Abstract

We present the case of a 53-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer, chemotherapy, and a long-term central venous access catheter, who presented with acute, severe superior vena cava syndrome. Angiography showed fibrous obstruction of the superior vena cava with thrombosis of the innominate, both axillary subclavian and internal jugular veins. Surgical repair consisted of thrombectomy of all the involved vessels and patch repair of superior vena cava and innominate vein. The patient had an uneventful recovery and remains asymptomatic 12 months after the procedure.