Radiology, Vol 196, 353-361, Copyright © 1995 by Radiological Society of North America
Superior vena cava stent placement: results with the Wallstent endoprosthesis
LM Hennequin, O Fade, JG Fays, JF Bic, S Jaafar, A Bertal, D Anthoine and PA Bernadac
Department of Radiology, C.H.U. Nancy-Hopital Central, Nancy, France.
PURPOSE: To assess the clinical success and short-term patency of the
Wallstent endoprosthesis in the treatment of superior vena cava (SVC)
syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one 14-mm-diameter endoprostheses
were implanted in 15 patients (mean age, 60 years) treated for SVC syndrome
due to malignant compression (n = 14) or postirradiation fibrotic stenosis
(n = 1) of the SVC. RESULTS: Immediate technical success was achieved in
all patients. Two early complications occurred: retroperitoneal hemorrhage
due to venous iliac tear and early stent thrombosis. In the 14 patients
without early stent occlusion, stent placement resulted in complete relief
of SVC syndrome; clinical success was 93%. SVC syndrome did not recur from
1 to 14 months, until the patient died (n = 11) or until the end of the
study (n = 3). Helical CT showed a patent stent in five patients,
respectively, at 3, 6, 8, 10, and 11 months. CONCLUSION: SVC stent
placement has good clinical results and a high patency rate at short- term
follow-up in patients with SVC syndrome.
