Superior Vena Caval Obstruction: An Analysis of Seventy-Six Cases, with Comments on the Safety of Venography

Abstract

Seventy-six cases of superior vena caval obstruction (SVCO) were docu mented in the period 1970-1980. There were 53 males and 23 females, with a mean age of 61.7 years. The underlying causes were: a) Lung cancer 64/76 84.2% b) Metastatic disease 4/76 5.3% c) Lymphoma 4/76 5.3% d) Benign aetiology 2/76 2.6% e) Undiagnosed 2/76 2.6% 97.4% of the cases were due to malignancy. Of 61 patients on whom follow-up is available, only one is alive. Eighty-two percent of this group died within one year following the onset of SVCO. Autop sies were performed on 17 patients. Nine of these (52.9%) showed invasion of the superior vena cava, 6 (35.3%) showed compression without invasion, and 2 (11.8%) showed neither compression nor invasion following Radiotherapy. Venography was performed on all patients with only one minor complication being recorded.