Percutaneous balloon angioplasty of inferior vena cava in Budd–Chiari syndrome-R1

Abstract This study was to evaluate the clinical effects of percutaneous balloon angioplasty of Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS) caused by inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction. Between 1993 and 1999, 28 men and 14 women with mean age of 44±12 years underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty for primary BCS. Color Doppler ultrasound and venography showed membranous and segmental obstruction of IVC in 29 and 13 patients, respectively. Fourteen patients also had left- and/or mid-hepatic vein obstruction. Angioplasty of IVC was successful in 41 patients (97.6%), resulting in a reduction of pressure gradient between IVC and the right atrium from 15.0±2.5 to 5.5±0.8 mmHg ( P