Korean Journal of Medicine  2008;74(2):192-197

Acute pulmonary edema during endovascular stenting of a patient with non-malignant superior vena cava syndrome: A case report.

Eun Kyung BAEK 1 ; Ji Young OH ; Min Jung KANG ; Gil Ja SHIN ; Soon Nam LEE ; Ick Mo CHUNG ; Wook Bum PYUN

Affiliations

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Keywords

Nonmalignant SVC syndrome; Intervention; Pulmonary edema

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

The superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome results from the disturbance of blood flow in superior vena cava caused by the obstruction. The most common etiology of this condition is the external compression by a malignant tumor. Other causes include thrombus from a pacemaker, defibrillator or central venous catheters. The conventional treatment is radiation and chemotherapy. Recently stenting has been used as a first-line therapeutic strategy for non-malignant cases with balloon and self-expanding stents. In our report, a 77 year-old woman had the SVC syndrome without identification of an underlying disease. A percutaneous endovascular intervention was performed. The stent was placed successfully but just after the procedure, the venous return immediately increased and acute pulmonary edema developed. The patient improved after intravenous diuretics and oxygen. Here we report our experience and review the medical literatures for the management of the non-malignant SVC syndrome, with percutaneous endovascular intervention and the rare complication of pulmonary edema.