Thrombectomy and angioplasty as treatment for acute superior vena cava syndrome

Abstract

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS), a disease caused by obstruction of the venous blood influx, because of benign etiology, from the upper body into the right atrium, is becoming more frequent, with growing use of central catheters. The present study is a case report of such acute SVCS managed successfully with an endovascular approach. A 53-year-old male patient, who had received a central venous catheter into the right jugular vein for chemotherapy, revealed an extensive thrombus formation in the veins and was diagnosed of grade 2 SVCS. He was subjected to local thrombolysis therapy followed by mechanical thrombectomy with adjunctive catheter-guided aspiration and a stent being placed through balloon angioplasty. The patient revealed a complete relief of symptoms, excellent signs of clinical improvement, and no signs of recurrence till date, 6 months posttherapy. This case supports the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy and angioplasty to treat SVCS.