Uso de stents como tratamiento del sindrome agudo de vena cava superior

The superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is a critical condition in which an intra-thoracic mass blocks venous flow with cyanosis and edema of the head and the neck. It can result from a benign or malignant illness. Neoplastic processes are the most frequently conditions associated with this syndrome. The early diagnosis and emergency management are always needed to relief the life-threatening condition. Intravascular stent placement as a therapy of the SVCS is recently proposed. This procedure is less invasive and can rapidly restore the venous flow with little complications saving patient life. We present here three patients with neoplastic disease (case I: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma; case 2: renal pseudosarcoma with lung metastases; case 3: Oat cell carcinoma) that develops acute SVCS at hospital admission and were treated with stent placement. Clinical manifestations of SVCS showed remission after three days of the intravascular procedure. All the patients received anticoagulant therapy. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy was indicated according with the diagnosis. No complications related with stent placement were observed in these patients. Percutaneous stents placement is a safe and effective treatment of the acute superior vena cava syndrome.