eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Cardiovascular

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome: Multimedia

Author: Michael S Beeson, MD, MBA, FACEP, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine; Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency, Summa Health System
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Dec 31, 2008

Multimedia

Patient with a 4-week history of increasing facia...
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Media file 1: Patient with a 4-week history of increasing facial edema and known lung cancer.
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Patient with a 4-week history of increasing facia...

Patient with a 4-week history of increasing facial edema and known lung cancer.

Chest radiograph of a patient with known superior...
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Media file 2: Chest radiograph of a patient with known superior vena cava syndrome and bronchogenic carcinoma.
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Chest radiograph of a patient with known superior...

Chest radiograph of a patient with known superior vena cava syndrome and bronchogenic carcinoma.

Chest radiograph of a 50-year-old woman with comp...
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Media file 3: Chest radiograph of a 50-year-old woman with complaint of shortness of breath and facial swelling. No previous history of cancer but 30 pack-year history.
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Chest radiograph of a 50-year-old woman with comp...

Chest radiograph of a 50-year-old woman with complaint of shortness of breath and facial swelling. No previous history of cancer but 30 pack-year history.

CT scan of the same 50-year-old woman in Image 3 ...
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Media file 4: CT scan of the same 50-year-old woman in Image 3 with an initial presentation of shortness of breath and facial swelling. This shows a large tumor mass in the right mediastinum nearly surrounding the right main stem bronchus and partially occluding the superior vena cava.
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CT scan of the same 50-year-old woman in Image 3 ...

CT scan of the same 50-year-old woman in Image 3 with an initial presentation of shortness of breath and facial swelling. This shows a large tumor mass in the right mediastinum nearly surrounding the right main stem bronchus and partially occluding the superior vena cava.

More on Superior Vena Cava Syndrome

Overview: Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Treatment & Medication: Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Follow-up: Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Multimedia: Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
References
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References

  1. Chen JC, Bongard F, Klein SR. A contemporary perspective on superior vena cava syndrome. Am J Surg. Aug 1990;160(2):207-11. [Medline].

  2. Dhaliwal RS, Das D, Luthra S, et al. Management of superior vena cava syndrome by internal jugular to femoral vein bypass. Ann Thorac Surg. Jul 2006;82(1):310-2. [Medline].

  3. Abner A. Approach to the patient who presents with superior vena cava obstruction. Chest. Apr 1993;103(4 Suppl):394S-397S. [Medline].

  4. Armstrong BA, Perez CA, Simpson JR, Hederman MA. Role of irradiation in the management of superior vena cava syndrome. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. Apr 1987;13(4):531-9. [Medline].

  5. Baker GL, Barnes HJ. Superior vena cava syndrome: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Am J Crit Care. Jul 1992;1(1):54-64. [Medline].

  6. Bauset R. Pacemaker-induced superior vena cava syndrome: a case report and review of management strategy. Can J Cardiol. Nov 2002;18(11):1229-32. [Medline].

  7. Courtheoux P, Alkofer B, Al Refai M, et al. Stent placement in superior vena cava syndrome. Ann Thorac Surg. Jan 2003;75(1):158-61. [Medline].

  8. Lanciego C, Chacon JL, Julian A, et al. Stenting as first option for endovascular treatment of malignant superior vena cava syndrome. AJR Am J Roentgenol. Sep 2001;177(3):585-93. [Medline].

  9. Leggio L, Abenavoli L, Vonghia L, et al. Superior vena cava thrombosis treated by angioplasty and stenting in a cirrhotic patient with peritoneovenous shunt. Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. Feb 2008;14(1):60-2. [Medline].

  10. Link MS, Pietrzak MP. Aortic dissection presenting as superior vena cava syndrome. Am J Emerg Med. May 1994;12(3):326-8. [Medline].

  11. Madan AK, Allmon JC, Harding M, et al. Dialysis access-induced superior vena cava syndrome. Am Surg. Oct 2002;68(10):904-6. [Medline].

  12. Queen JR, Berlin J. Superior vena cava syndrome. J Emerg Med. Aug 2001;21(2):189-91. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

SVCS, superior vena cava syndrome, superior vena cava, SVC, bronchogenic carcinoma, endovascular stenting, endoprostheses, malignancy-associated SVCS, non-malignancy–associated SVCS, obstruction of superior vena cava, obstruction of SVC, compression of superior vena cava, compression of SVC, low intravascular pressure, interstitial edema, retrograde collateral flow, thrombus formation

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Michael S Beeson, MD, MBA, FACEP, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine; Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency, Summa Health System
Michael S Beeson, MD, MBA, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors, National Association of EMS Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Richard S Krause, MD, Senior Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine
Richard S Krause, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Eddy Lang, MDCM, CCFP (EM), CSPQ, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, The Sir Mortimer B Davis-Jewish General Hospital
Eddy Lang, MDCM, CCFP (EM), CSPQ is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

David FM Brown, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate-Chief, Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital
David FM Brown, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Schering  Honoraria Speaking and teaching

 
 
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