Interventional therapy for inferior vena cava obstruction caused by hepatic cancer

Objective To study the method and effectiveness of interventional therapy for the stenotic or obstructive inferior vena cava(IVC) caused by hepatic cancer. Methods All together 6 patients were enroled, 4 males and 2 females, with age of 45 to 58 years, average 53 years. The main symptoms including abdominal distention, varices on abdominal walls and edema in lower extremities were caused by compression or involvement of IVC with right hepatic lobe lesion. We performed thrombolysis first and follower by balloon dilation and stent placement. Results IVC were recanalized in all 6 patients with free patent blood flow. The postal venous pressure dropped from 4.4 kPa to 2.1 kPa without major complications. Conclusions Treating the IVC stenosis and obstruction caused by primary liver cancer with interventional method is safe and effective together with improvement of life quality and prolongation of survival time. (J Intervent Radiol, 2006, 15: 537-538)