Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2008 Jun 21;336(7658):1434-7.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.39562.512789.80.

Endovascular stenting to treat obstruction of the superior vena cava

Anthony F Watkinson  1 , Tow Non Yeow, Clementine Fraser
Affiliations
Review

Endovascular stenting to treat obstruction of the superior vena cava

Anthony F Watkinson et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

This article discusses the use of image guided endovascular stenting to treat obstruction of the superior vena cava

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: AFW is a clinical adviser to Biocompatibles UK.

Figures

None
Fig 1 Contrast enhanced computed tomography in October 2004 shows enlarged mediastinal nodes with significant focal narrowing of the superior vena cava (top; arrow). Contrast enhanced computed tomography, with reconstruction using maximum intensity projection in the sagittal plane, shows focal narrowing of the superior vena cava (bottom; arrow)
None
Fig 2 Digital subtraction venogram from a femoral vein approach shows tight focal stenosis of the mid superior vena cava (top; arrow). Digital subtraction venography after placement of a self expanding nitinol 14 mm stent, which was later dilated to 12 mm, shows good flow through the stent at the end of the procedure (bottom)
None
Fig 3 Contrast enhanced computed tomography in November 2007 (top). Three years after stent insertion, the patency of the stent is still good. Three dimensional reconstruction (maximum intensity projection) in the sagittal plane three years after stent insertion shows a widely patent stent (bottom)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Parish JM, Marschke RF Jr, Dines DE, Lee RE. Etiologic considerations in superior vena cava syndrome. Mayo Clin Proc 1981;56:407-13. - PubMed
    1. Ostler PJ, Clarke DP, Watkinson AF, Gaze MN. Superior vena cava obstruction: a modern management strategy. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 1997;9:83-9. - PubMed
    1. Rowell NP, Gleeson FV. Steroids, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and stents for superior vena caval obstruction in carcinoma of the bronchus: a systematic review. Clin Oncol 2002;14:338-51. - PubMed
    1. Rice TW, Rodriguez RM, Light RW. The superior vena cava syndrome: clinical characteristics and evolving etiology. Medicine (Baltimore) 2006;85:37-42. - PubMed
    1. Bechtold RE, Wolfman NT, Karstaedt N, Choplin RH. Superior vena caval obstruction: detection using CT. Radiology 1985;157:485-7. - PubMed