Superior vena cava syndrome after cardiac surgery: early treatment by percutaneous stenting.

C 1 UPERIOR VENA CAVA syndrome (SVCS) is increasingly frequent in the setting of malignant diseases and can ive rise to severe neurologic and respiratory complications. here has also been an increase in cases of SVCS from nonalignant causes, including iatrogenic factors. Thrombosis of he superior vena cava (SVC) can be produced by the presence f catheters and pacemaker leads or by ruptures or lacerations uring surgery. Various therapeutic options are available acording to the underlying cause, and percutaneous therapy of onmalignant SVCS is now widely applied.1 The authors present 2 patients with laceration of the SVC roduced during cardiac surgery. Despite the in situ surgical epair of the lesion, there was a significant SVCS in the early ostoperative period in both cases. Interventional therapy inluded placing endovascular prostheses at the SVC level, with ood outcomes.