[Pulmonary malignant superior vena cava obstruction: endovascular stent therapy].

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients underwent stent placement between June 1998 and October 2006 for superior vena cava obstruction. The initial effectiveness of the metallic stent therapy and the follow-up results were studied at one, six and 12 months.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively studied the utility of metallic stent placement for the treatment of malignant superior vena cava obstruction in 31 patients (SVCO) on the basis of long-term follow-up data.

RESULTS: The initial clinical success rate was 100% (31 out of 31), the primary clinical patency rate was 93% (26 out of 28) at six months. The obstruction rate of the stent was 7% (two out of 28) at six months. There was no additional stent used for recurrence. At 12 months, 27 out of 31 patients were deceased in whom there was no recurrence of SVCO until death.

CONCLUSION: Stent therapy is an effective treatment for SVCO. Adjuvant therapy must to be evaluated in association with stent therapy.