Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (Superior Vena Cava Obstruction)

A condition that occurs when the obstruction of the thin-walled SUPERIOR VENA CAVA interrupts blood flow from the head, upper extremities, and thorax to the RIGHT ATRIUM. Obstruction can be caused by NEOPLASMS; THROMBOSIS; ANEURYSM; or external compression. The syndrome is characterized by swelling and/or CYANOSIS of the face, neck, and upper arms.

Also Known As:

Networked: 516 relevant articles (28 outcomes, 18 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Neoplasms (Cancer)
2.	Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (Superior Vena Cava Obstruction)
3.	Chylothorax
4.	Breast Neoplasms (Breast Cancer)
5.	Thymoma (Thymic Carcinoma)

Experts

1.	Gwon, Dong Il: 3 articles (01/2014 - 03/2012)
2.	Triller, Jürgen: 3 articles (07/2008 - 10/2002)
3.	Duvnjak, S: 2 articles (12/2015 - 10/2011)
4.	Sung, Kyu-Bo: 2 articles (01/2014 - 03/2013)
5.	Shin, Ji Hoon: 2 articles (01/2014 - 03/2013)
6.	Yoon, Hyun-Ki: 2 articles (01/2014 - 03/2013)
7.	Kim, Jin Hyoung: 2 articles (01/2014 - 03/2013)
8.	Ko, Gi-Young: 2 articles (01/2014 - 03/2013)
9.	García, Lorenzo García: 2 articles (08/2009 - 11/2003)
10.	Lanciego, Carlos: 2 articles (08/2009 - 11/2003)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Superior Vena Cava Syndrome:

1.	nitinolIBA 09/01/2013 - "Large-bore nitinol stents are highly effective for malignant superior vena cava syndrome. " 12/01/2014 - "This study aims to retrospectively evaluate the outcomes following nitinol stent placement for malignant superior vena cava syndrome. " 12/01/2015 - "A new nitinol stent for use in superior vena cava syndrome. " 12/01/2014 - "A total of 25 patients with thoracic malignancies were treated with self-expanding nitinol stents for superior vena cava syndrome (E*Luminexx [Bard GmbH/Angiomed, Karlsruhe, Germany], Sinus-XL [OptiMed Medizinische Instrumente GmbH, Ettlingen, Germany], and Zilver Vena [Cook Medical Inc., Bloomington, IN]). " 09/01/2013 - "The purpose of this article is to retrospectively evaluate the technical and clinical outcomes of large-bore nitinol stents for treating malignant superior vena cava syndrome. "
2.	StreptokinaseFDA Link 01/01/1987 - "Iatrogenic superior vena cava syndrome treated with streptokinase." 11/01/1985 - "[Superior vena cava syndrome caused by a pacemaker cable, treated with streptokinase]." 09/01/1982 - "Intravenous streptokinase therapy for superior vena cava thrombosis was unsuccessful." 12/01/1981 - "Successful streptokinase therapy of acute idiopathic superior vena cava thrombosis." 01/01/1987 - "Streptokinase appears to be highly effective in the treatment of iatrogenic superior vena cava syndrome from Hickman catheters. "
3.	Cisplatin (Platino)FDA LinkGeneric 08/01/2002 - "We report a case of a 51-year old man with small cell lung cancer who developed superior vena cava syndrome due to obstruction of the superior vena cava at the junction of the brachiocephalic vein by a fibrotic band, 2 months after completing six cycles of chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposid. " 03/01/1997 - "Systemic chemotherapy with chronic oral etoposide, and then 5 courses of intravenous cisplatin and etoposide (PE) resulted in disease progression with multiple new lung nodules and a severe superior vena cava syndrome. " 11/05/1982 - "Complete clinical remission was achieved in a very large lymphocytic thymoma with infiltration of both lungs and almost complete atelectasis of the left lung as well as superior vena cava syndrome using adriamycin (80 mg/m2, day 1) and cis-platinum (120 mg/m2, day 1). " 01/01/2010 - "A 44-year-old Hispanic man with a primary mediastinal seminoma complicated by superior vena cava syndrome underwent treatment with four cycles of bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. " 08/01/2013 - "One course of carboplatin/etoposide(CBDCA/VP-16)therapy was started on October 1. Since the tumor size was reduced, thoracic effusion disappeared, and superior vena cava syndrome was alleviated, the therapy was changed to cisplatin/irinotecan (CDDP/CPT-11)on October 23, and the 3rd course was initiated on November 22. "
4.	Carboplatin (JM8)FDA LinkGeneric 10/01/2007 - "She received three courses of paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy; however, she developed massive right pleural effusion with superior vena cava syndrome and finally succumbed to the disease, three months later. " 12/01/1996 - "Treatment associated cyclophosphamide and carboplatin with anti-K-vitamin was administrated, with a complete remission and disappearance of superior vena cava thrombosis at 27 months of evolution. " 08/01/2013 - "One course of carboplatin/etoposide(CBDCA/VP-16)therapy was started on October 1. Since the tumor size was reduced, thoracic effusion disappeared, and superior vena cava syndrome was alleviated, the therapy was changed to cisplatin/irinotecan (CDDP/CPT-11)on October 23, and the 3rd course was initiated on November 22. " 05/01/2002 - "Although 3 cycles of a combination of gemcitabine (GEM) with vinorelbine (VNR) and one cycle of carboplatin (CBDCA) with weekly paclitaxel (TXL) were administered, the tumor continued to grow with symptomatic progression of superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS). "
5.	Tissue Plasminogen Activator (Alteplase)FDA Link 02/01/2005 - "Systemic recombinant tissue plasminogen activator may be useful in the treatment of superior vena cava syndrome in children." 05/01/1991 - "Treatment of superior vena cava thrombosis with recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator." 01/01/2001 - "Treatment of superior vena cava syndrome with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator in a sickle cell patient undergoing bone marrow transplantation." 02/01/2005 - "Thrombolytic therapy with tissue plasminogen activator for superior vena cava thrombosis in an infant with sepsis." 05/01/1991 - "We report a case of superior vena cava thrombosis in a 53-year-old woman receiving chemotherapy for breast carcinoma through a subcutaneously implanted venous access catheter who was successfully treated with peripheral infusion of recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator (rtPA)."
6.	OxidoreductasesIBA 02/01/2008 - "Of the 24 patients, 16 were men and 8 were women, aged from 12 to 81; 20 were at stage I-II, 1 at stage III, and 3 at stage IV; 13 had bulk disease; 10 had superior vena cava syndrome; 14 had contiguous infiltration; 15 had lacate dehydrogenase elevation; 11 received chemoradiotherapy, 10 received chemotherapy alone, and 3 received radiotherapy alone; 10 achieved complete remission (CR) after scheduled treatment, 12 achieved partial remission (PR), 1 had stable disease and 1 had progressive disease. " 08/01/2006 - "Otherwise, sex, age at diagnosis, nodal spread, pleural effusion, bronchial obstruction, superior vena cava obstruction, performance status, weight loss, and lactic dehydrogenase at presentation, were comparable between the two groups. "
7.	Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)FDA LinkGeneric 01/01/1988 - "The other child was receiving a continuous doxorubicin infusion and developed superior vena cava thrombosis and retrograde extravasation along the catheter tunnel site. " 11/05/1982 - "Complete clinical remission was achieved in a very large lymphocytic thymoma with infiltration of both lungs and almost complete atelectasis of the left lung as well as superior vena cava syndrome using adriamycin (80 mg/m2, day 1) and cis-platinum (120 mg/m2, day 1). "
8.	Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)FDA LinkGeneric 12/01/1996 - "Treatment associated cyclophosphamide and carboplatin with anti-K-vitamin was administrated, with a complete remission and disappearance of superior vena cava thrombosis at 27 months of evolution. " 09/01/2009 - "Patients who experienced superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) and/or superior mediastinum syndrome (SMS) received induction chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide (C), vincristine (O) and prednisone (P) for one week. "
9.	AnticoagulantsIBA 01/01/1982 - "Symptoms of the superior vena cava syndrome were successfully treated with anticoagulants. " 09/01/2003 - "Combined treatment with glucocorticoids, anticoagulants, and immunosuppressants was effective in superior vena cava syndrome and extracranial arterial occlusion. "
10.	VitaminsIBA 12/01/1996 - "Treatment associated cyclophosphamide and carboplatin with anti-K-vitamin was administrated, with a complete remission and disappearance of superior vena cava thrombosis at 27 months of evolution. "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Stents 12/01/1999 - "Recently developed expandable metallic stents have been adopted to superior vena cava syndrome with good results. " 09/01/1997 - "Stent insertion provided faster relief of symptoms and significantly greater improvement in the superior vena cava obstruction score than radiation therapy (P < .001, Mann-Whitney U test). " 01/01/2014 - "Covered stent placement for the treatment of malignant superior vena cava syndrome: is unilateral covered stenting safe and effective?" 07/01/1994 - "Percutaneous placement of intravascular stents to treat acute occlusion offered a safe and effective method of treatment in patients with superior vena cava syndrome resulting from benign causes." 04/01/2015 - "Following balloon dilatation of the stenotic area and stent implantation, the superior vena cava syndrome was rapidly relieved. "
2.	Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy) 07/01/2012 - "Specifically, superior vena cava syndrome may warrant radiation, chemotherapy, vascular stenting, or surgical resection. " 02/01/2009 - "Superior vena cava syndrome management has been traditionally radiation therapy, chemotherapy or chemoradiation, depending on the underlying malignancy involved and individual clinicopathological features of the case. " 04/30/2008 - "Treatment options for the superior vena cava syndrome include chemotherapy, radiation, and intravenous stenting. " 05/01/1996 - "One patient developed a mediastinal recurrence with superior vena cava syndrome and was successfully salvaged by mediastinal irradiation and chemotherapy. " 08/01/1990 - "Six patients presenting with superior vena cava obstruction responded significantly to CAV chemotherapy alone. "
3.	Radiotherapy 12/01/1989 - "Superior Vena Cava Syndrome was improved quickly and reducing the target volume to the right atrium after 40 Gy radiotherapy was continued up to a total dose of 60 Gy. A complete remission was documented by echocardiography and computed tomography. " 04/01/1981 - "[Study of the radiotherapy for superior vena cava syndrome (author's transl)]." 05/01/2001 - "In the group of patients with superior vena cava syndrome, radiotherapy schedules were: 4 Gy x 5 to a total dose of 20 Gy (23 patients) and 3 Gy x 10 to a total dose of 30 Gy (20 patients). " 12/01/1990 - "[The superior vena cava syndrome as an emergency in radiotherapy]." 02/01/1989 - "We report the case of a patient diagnosed as superior vena cava syndrome 8 years after surgical resection of a breast malignancy and treatment with radiotherapy. "
4.	Catheters 09/01/2015 - "Endovascular recanalization of a port catheter-associated superior vena cava syndrome." 09/01/2015 - "Catheter-directed Thrombolysis in Acute Superior Vena Cava Syndrome Caused by Central Venous Catheters." 01/01/2015 - "[Superior vena cava syndrome secondary to the placement of a central venous catheter in a neonate]." 06/01/2013 - "Successful treatment of central venous catheter induced superior vena cava syndrome with ultrasound accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis." 01/01/2013 - "Thrombogenic catheter-associated superior vena cava syndrome."
5.	Transplants (Transplant) 08/29/2008 - "Superior vena cava syndrome: a rare complication of saphenous vein graft stenting: a case report." 04/01/2005 - "In the 3 patients who underwent reconstruction of a left brachiocephalic vein, the graft became occluded, and superior vena cava syndrome developed in 2 of these patients. " 12/01/2004 - "Two months later the patient developed manifestations of superior vena cava thrombosis and the graft was blocked. " 03/01/2004 - "Reconstruction using a pericardial tube and ringed Gore-Tex graft for malignant superior vena cava syndrome: report of two cases." 06/01/2002 - "Management of a liver transplant in a patient with asymptomatic superior vena cava obstruction."